


The Unredeemable

by JAV707



Series: The Unredeemable: Rooftop Fugitives [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Bounty Hunters, Character Death(s), Complicated Relationships, Dark Comedy, Dark Past, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Families of Choice, Gen, Implied Relationships, Insomnia, M/M, Magic, Morally ambiguious main characters, Multi, Nightmares, One-Sided Relationship, Organized Crime, Past Relationship(s), Politics, Possible romance don't know for sure, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Racism, Revolution, Slow Burn, Terrorists, Tournaments, Unhealthy Relationships, Volume 5 (RWBY), Worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-03-11 12:44:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 39,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13524528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JAV707/pseuds/JAV707
Summary: Oh the bustling city of mistral filled with vivacious city life, Home of culture, music and, theater. It’s a nice place if you live if you live up in higher platforms, sadly I’m currently in the bowels of lower quarters of the city in a janky bar surrounded by drunks, criminals, smugglers, and an bartender with attitude. Oh this night is starting off at a good note.This isn’t how I usually picture my weekends on a saturday night in mistral or in a city in general but, if you have nothing else to do to get money out of this city, bounty hunting is one of few thrilling Legal jobs to do, though thanks to huntresses and, huntmen’s getting a come back at the city, bounty’s are running low on price because most people want the “Professionals” which usually means them. Ever since Haven got rebuilt, my life hasn’t gotten any easier as well as other bounty hunters of course, we are feeling the struggles of this new economy.Well I should be introduce myself. My name is Vernal Cobalt and, I’m getting a bounty.





	1. Rooftops to Nowhere

Walking through the streets of the lower quarter of the city of mistral is a liable way of getting rob, killed or worse, though it's expected in this type of place bunch of smugglers love it here, it doesn’t get much traffic with law enforcement here. Vernal notice the bar where her bounty is said to be held up. It has a big obnoxious neon sign named Bud’s bar.  
“Either this bar is named for making 'friends' or the name of the guy that owns this dump, either way, it’s a stupid name.”  
Vernal walks up to the bar, she slicks her pixie cut back and prepares herself a strategy if things go south, she's loads up ammo in her weapons. She inhales and, walks through the door.  
The whiff of the musky odor of the bar reeks through the air like a fog. It smelled like a cocktail of alcohol, puke, piss and, regret. The stench almost made Vernal almost gag, she used to live in a forest but, this bar was rancid then whatever the forest can come up with.  
   
Everyone in the bar looked at Vernal suspiciously but, Vernal paid them no mind, what was on her mind was that bounty.  
She walks towards the bartender cleaning glasses of previous customers. Vernal neared the bar and sat on one of the uncomfortable stools, it squeaks as she sat on it.  
“Phew, man has anyone told you that your bar could make the hairs of a grim fallout, ugh!.” cough Vernal.  
   
The bartender replies apathetically “Your point girl.” while he cleans glasses.  
   
Vernal smirks and leans against the bar in a seductive manner though, the way it was presented was more smug, then seductive.  
   
“Well my point is Mister Bartender~ , I’m just a bounty hunter who heard from an unpleasant guy who owned a ramen shop, who heard from a his unpleasant customers, that his customers who heard from a guy name Brunswick who apparently saw Wei Zise coming in and out of this nasty ass bar.”  
   
She pulls the wanted poster out of her cleavage she unfold poster and, pushes the poster onto the bar to the bartender. The bartender took a quick glance down at the poster and, looked at the woman with irritation. Vernal took notice to his strong grip on the glass while he was cleaning.  
   
“I never seen the guy.” he retorted.  
   
Vernal chuckled callously, “Yeah well that body language say otherwise doesn’t it, so do tell Mister Bartender~ So where’s the jackass who beaten that faunus girl to death.”  
   
The man ceases from cleaning the glass. He throws the rag onto the sink near him and, he abruptly set the glass down on his bar, He leaned against his bar staring into the bounty hunter’s lighting blue eyes with annoyance.  
   
“Read my lips girl, I never seen the guy. Now fuck off if your not buying anything.”  
   
“First you tactless ass man, I’m not a girl, I’m a bounty hunter genius. Second Bud , I know he’s here because of two things, the first thing is this bar is filled with like-minded individuals like Wei who come here to congregate of how to beat up defenseless faunus half to death. Second, you obviously suck at lying and your bar smells like someone took a huge shit and, set on it fire and, oh I almost forgot about the third Bud. He’s right behind me! because the reflection of the glass you were cleaning reflected the scumbag.”  
   
After Vernal’s was done denigrating the bartender, she turns her head and, sees the wanted fugitive staring at her midway down the stairs of the janky bar. Vernal smirks and, waves at the wanted man.  
   
She raised her hand and, shouts “By the way Zise! Your fly is down! Just to let you know! Oh and I almost forgot. I’m going to get your ass so just stand there. There is literally no point in running!”  
   
She turns from the fugitive and, stole a shot from a pass out drunk right next to her. She one-shots it down and slams the shot onto the bar.  
   
She looks at bartender smirking, “Also thank you for your unhelpful help Bud .” Vernal grabs the wanted poster off the bar and, folds it back to how it was originally and, puts it back into her cleavage.  
   
Before Vernal got off the stool, a sound of marching footsteps was heard outside the bar and, whatever it was it approaching the bar.  
   
A flock of White fang members burst through doors of the bar. Everyone stood in silence by the presence of the White Fang members. A towering man steps in front of the terrorist group.  
   
His footsteps echoed throughout the bar while everyone stared into silence when they witness the intimidating Faunus. He wore a long white trench coat, his mask was of a jackal with red markings on the sides. He finally stops walking till he reaches the end of the bar between Vernal and, the barkeep. He was around 6’5 this colossal faunus, he looked down onto the bartender with his glowing amber eyes, His voice was raspy when he spoke.  
“Have you seen this girl.” He pulls out a photo out of his trench coat and, hold it affront of the barkeep. The bartender looked at the photo anxiously and, looked back at the White fang member. The Faunus eyes glowed an eerily amber as he stared down the barkeep.  
   
Vernal couldn’t see the photo but, she wasn’t exactly curious about it, all she wanted was to get out of the space between them.  
   
Nervously the barkeep replied, “No I haven’t seen no girl like that in here and, we have a sign Faunus.”  
   
“Oh and, what sign is that human?” the jackal faunus asked apathetically.  
   
Instantly the man face turned pale when he spoke those words he gulped “N-No Faunus allowed.”  
   
The Jackal Faunus nodded at the man, with the most bone shuddering chuckle Vernal has heard.  
“You are in no position to tell us what to do barkeep .” he said vehemently. “Especially since we are already in your humble establishment, now .” The Faunus pulled the bartender by his collar and, glaring at the man.  
   
“ Where is the girl. I know she’s in here.”  
   
Vernal try to sneak away from the intense conversation between the men. She notices her bounty is still standing in the stairway and, it seems that they have wet their pants by the presence of the white fang members.  
   
“Tsk what a coward, once he sees faunus coming in numbers he pisses himself, Oh I’m going to enjoy taking his ass down at the station, he’ll probably cry more.” Vernal thought.  
   
As she attempts to sneak past the men, she's yanked from behind by the arm.  
   
“Now where do you think your going human.”  
   
Vernal turned to the faunus smiling “Hey there, you see I’m a little hard press right now and, I don’t have anything to do with you, I’m here for a drink (even though I wouldn’t want to drink in this nasty ass bar) and, my bounty, So how about you just let go of my arm and, I’ll be on my merry way of getting my Lien.”  
   
The faunus just glared at the woman’s bright blue eyes. He pulled her closer.  
   
“I don’t think you fully grasp the situation here human. Everyone in this bar is suspect untill further notice. So no one is leaving and, no one is entering, do you understand now.”  
   
Vernal rolled her eyes and, smirk at the faunus,“Um what I understand is that I don’t care but, you don't grasp the situation.” she twists out of the Jackal grip, she pats down her arm where the Faunus grabbed her. “I’m getting that bounty one way or another and, no one is stopping me, you walking costume.”  
   
“Then you died simply as that.”  
   
“Um, I don’t think I died simply.” she said while sneakily pulling out her charakam guns.  
   
A loud thud echoes through the silent bar, Vernal jerked her hand back from her mini double-shotguns. It seems one of the drunks Vernal stole a shot from suddenly woke up from his stupor.  
   
The man stumbles into a couple of tables and, chairs before he can finally attempt his balance, he yells drunkenly, “Youz sTUPid aniMAls! Er not aLLowED in Ere!”  
   
The Jackal fannus looks at the man and, at his pack, “Is this man serious?” he gestured at the intoxicated man.  
   
The drunk man pulls out a Tommy gun out of his coat and, loads dust bullets in it and, is ready to fire.  
   
Vernal replied, “Seems so.” Vernal kicked the distracted faunus in the knee, He yelps.  
Vernal she ducks to the floor when the bullets fire. Chaos erupts through the bar as people duck or run from the stray bullets.  
   
“You gotta be kidding me! I finally get this out of the wash!”, exclaimed Vernal while on the froth-like floor.  
   
Vernal visibly angry at how a simple catch and, grab turned into a bar fight with a terrorist organization. “This isn’t how I picture my night going at all.” she thought "Though it didn’t really matter right now, especially how the blasted drunk is shooting up the place, all that matters is the bounty."  
She crawls on the sudsed bar floor for any cover it can provide at the moment. She got up when she got closer to her bounty who just scurried up the stairs for cover.  
   
“And where do you think you're going Wei!” yelled Vernal.  
   
As Vernal crawls up to the top of the stairs pursuing the fugitive but, it was cut short when a black hooded figure behind her jumps over the stair railing and, springboarded on the bounty hunter’s back.  
   
“What the!?”, Before Vernal could recover herself, she fell down the flight of stairs all the way to the bottom.  
   
“Ow! Okay, I think I broke something. No, wait. I’m fine, I’m fine. ” She regains her focus and sees the figured who jumped on her back running after her bounty. “Oh if you think you can take my bounty underneath me, ohhh I got something for you.”  
   
Vernal recovers herself and, sprints up the stairs, she grabs on the post on top of the stairs and, swing to the right down the hallway which leads to a door that goes out on the rooftops, She sprints through the open door and, looks for the hood figure and, her bounty.   
She scopes the expansive and, complex rooftops of mistral with its towering buildings and, platforms that merged into an maze-like pathways on the rooftops of the city, it was like a complex system of a highway.  
   
“This isn’t good if I don’t find them this would've been for not-.” Before Vernal could finish her thought, she luckily spots them across the rooftops. The hooded figure jumped over the roofs chasing Wei.  
The figure jumped over ledges and, structures with such elegance with the help of the moonlight it almost made it picturesque, it would’ve amazed Vernal more if the girl wasn’t after her bounty.  
Vernal walks onto the edge of the roof and, seeing the far drop to the bottom of the bar, Vernal isn’t the biggest fan of heights but, she can get over the fear if it meant getting money at the end of it.  
   
“Well great, this is great my night of getting this guy has officially turned into a nightmare with a bunch of zanies come busting into the place that conveniently made my Lien run and, to top it off. An ankle biter is chasing my said Lien up and, down rooftops, Great! Anything else you have in store for me tonight!” she procrastinates to no one with her arms up to the sky. She rolls her eyes and, sighs knowing what she must do “This is probably the most, stupidest idea I've ever come up with.”  
   
Vernal sighs and backs up from the ledge all the way against the bar’s wall. Before she ready’s her sprint, she pulls out the folded wanted poster out her cleavage, she unfolds it and, flips it onto the blank side at the back of the poster, she writes.  
   
Vernal Cobalt.   
Address: Nix’s Seafood   
   
My Will: I tried not to die okay, let this be known.   
   
Bury me somewhere with a nice view preferably near a forest or the coast but, not in a graveyard because I still don’t like people near me alive and, as well dead. Again I repeat, in the forest or the coast. Remember Nix.  
   
To Nix Cobalt, you can do whatever you want to my stuff, even though I have literally nothing to give you guys, but if did you know I would give anything to repay you.  
   
Tell Rosa Marrón that I was the one who took her sweet roll from her snack stache and, I sorta felt bad about it...and, her suspicion of people looking at her torn skirt is true. It looks like a mini skirt and, it’s quite distracting and, I would know because I’m one of many who has been “distracted” by said torn skirt, there I said/wrote it.  
   
Lastly 4. Cole Cobalt will not have Agrios & Luna, I know for a fact that he’ll kill himself. That I want him to get angry when he reads this even after I’m long dead, it will warm my decomposing corpse for a bit.”   
   
P.s, No I’m kidding, if the kid wants them he can have them but, seriously he needs intense training for those, I bet on it. Also, he can actually kill himself with those things, you’ve been warned Nix.   
P.s.s, Nix if you finally make it official of having the waitresses wear mini skirts, let the Waiters have very, VERY tight pants to make it equal, everyone will like you a little bit more Nix also, cred me.   
   
P.s.s.s, REMEMBER! FOREST OR COAST! NIX I’M SERIOUS!   
   
She finishes her will and, folds it and, puts it in her cleavage again. She takes a moment to ready herself to jump when she’s done mentally preparing herself. She darts off the bar's roof.  
She jumps rooftop to rooftop in a staggered matter of course but, makes the landing every time though if she misses one wrong step on the high roofs of mistral it’s certain death, it was common to see people falling from the high buildings of Mistral either by a dare, being drunk, or someone who loves the thrill.  
   
She sees the girl chasing after the man. Jumping over obstacles like it was nothing like she methodically plan where to land with grace.  
   
“How is this guy even human!?” Vernal thought.  
   
The hooded figured slide down of one of the roofs incline and, jump off the tip of the incline, the hooded figured rolled on to the other roof and, began to dart across the rooftop again, jumping over more obstacles.  
They're pace quicken when they were caught up with Wei. Finally, the hooded figure jumped off the last ledge, they strike him with a sharp kick in the back of his leg making a horrific snapping sound, he screamed and, stumble into a wall face first. The impact was so hard it broke the man’s nose.  
   
Vernal winced at the sight and sound of the man’s bones breaking. Finally Vernal caught up with the two, she jumped onto her last roof to get to them but, as she jumped she missed a step and, lost her balance to stay on the ledge. Afraid Vernal desperately tries to recover her footing but, to no avail. She starts to fall backward, she took a glimpse behind her and, sees the long fall that awaited for her.  
   
“Ah! Wait not like this!” yelped Vernal.  
   
The hooded figure heard Vernal’s yell, they pivot and notice Vernal about to fall. The figure unsheathes their metal whip and, swish it around Vernal’s body yanking her back to safety. Vernal skit across the rooftop by the force of the hooded figure's pull. When the bounty hunter stops skitting across the roof she rolls over to her back panting, taking a moment to contemplate from the almost certain demise of falling off mistral's rooftops.  
   
“Why did I think that was a good idea...oh yeah money, I need that right now.” said Vernal panting.  
   
Vernal glance to see the ankle biter who saved her but, they turn away so quickly before Vernal could get a good look, the only thing she could see was the person's mouth and, nose. The hooded figure bends over to the bloodied face man.  
   
“You!” they yelled.  
   
“Ah so this ankle biter is a female, oh she’s going down .” thought Vernal. Vernal gets up from the ground and, grasp her Chakrams.  
   
The Girl jerked on the man’s bloodied collar “Who sent you to spy on me! Was it the Divine fang! Adam! Tell me now or I’ll break your fingers!”.  
   
“I don’t need to tell you a thing! You animal!” the man replied.  
   
The hooded figure twitches from the man’s answer to her question it irked her and, immediately snapped one of his fingers.  
   
The man screamed “You broke my finger!” the man whine painfully.  
   
“Yeah and, I’m going to break more if you don’t tell who send you to spy on me!”  
   
“Go off yourself!” the man replied.  
   
The girl broke two more fingers on the man’s hand. He cusses from the pain.  
   
“Are you going to tell me now or you want more of your fingers broken. Because I can do this all day.” the girl replied impatiently.  
   
The man sobs “I can’t man!” snot runs down his broken nose “He’ll kill me if I do!”  
   
“Then tell me! Maybe I kill them before they can get to you! Now who sent you!” she screamed into the man face.  
   
“Hey!” Vernal yelled and, pointed her chakram guns at the hooded girl. The girl glance at Vernal her eyes glowed a deep red.  
Vernal was taken back by the girl’s eyes but, resume her stance. Vernal coughed “Ahem, Okay I don’t know who you are and, I don’t really care for the matter but, I don’t want my bounty looking like the moon, he needs to be presentable for the jailer ankle biter, so buzz off!” she gestured to her chakram guns.  
   
“I’d saved your life human, you should be more grateful and, I’m not ankle biter bounty hunter and, that’s all you need to know. Now you buzz off.” After she said that her fiery red eyes turned into a somber blue, she glances down "If you don’t, you’ll be dead like the others.” she said in a melancholy tone.  
   
Vernal chuckled “Well even if your not, I’ve been tracking this guy for a week, heck damn near two and, I really need that money, so whatever this guy did to you. Let it go and, move on girl. And besides, he’s not going to tell you anything, look what you did to him.” she gestured with her guns.  
   
The bloodied face man wheezes for breath and is quivering from both pain and, fear.  
   
The girl shakes her head and, chuckled callously “He’s fine, he’ll get over it till he tells me what I want to hear also your so-called answer to let it go or move on, is very inspiring did you write that yourself? you should become a spokesperson for rousing speeches for the crippling enables like this guy or yourself, I really can’t tell the difference to be honest.”  
   
Vernal stared at the hooded girl for a moment, Vernal was irked by the girl’s mordant tone with her. Vernal brows furrow in annoyance she groaned “You know you are not in a position to tell me to sass me, girl especially since I have the guns here, now give me my bounty.”  
   
The girl widens her arms out taunting Vernal “Then come and, get it if you want your lien so bad.”  
   
Vernal sigh “So there isn’t a way to negotiate this into a transaction, is there. ”  
   
“Not really unless you can make him talk which you won’t, that I wouldn't allow it anyway and besides, I know when someone is broke-ass poor.” the girl looked up and, down Vernal to strengthen her point.  
   
Vernal rubs the back of her neck “I’m little more desperate than I like to admit, though to be honest with you. I don’t want to fight you but, I need that money or else.”  
   
The girl snaps, “Aren’t there any other bounty’s you can get other this one? ” she pointed her thumb at Wei.”  
   
“There are but, that takes time and, time I don’t have, that and the bounties you say  that would pique my interest are all taken by huntsman’s and, huntresses and, low priced bounties are given to people with no semblances like myself and, so many other bounty hunters however, this one has a bulk of lien on his head, he’s just enough for bounty hunters like myself to be worth the time and, too low price for the “Professionals” so this. Is Non-negotiable.” Vernal looks her Charkams, Agrios and, Luna.  
   
The faunus’s blue luminous eyes glared into bounty hunter’s. The faunus moved her hand slowly to her hip, gripping the hilt of her rapier.  
   
Vernal got into her battle stance ready to fight the hooded girl.  
   
Vernal really doesn't want to fight the girl, it’s a waste of her time, energy, and possibly dust. All she really wanted tonight was the bounty on Zise’s head.  
“So if this girl doesn’t want money then what does she want? What answers? What does she get out of this beating this scumbag for? So many damn questions, not enough answers behind them?” she brood.   
   
Vernal an acutely percipient person somehow knowing what people want or want to hear, however, this girl was hard to get a read on, even for bounty hunter herself.  
As insightful the hunter is, this girl, in particular, was complex to read and, it wasn’t the hood that confused her, she knew better but, usually, people like this girl who are emotionally detach of people or objects have always vexed Vernal.  
They tend to be the most complex and, dangerous individuals to read, especially when they hide their intentions. Well, that’s what Vernal has observed from people anyways.  
   
The hooded girl straightens posture and, battle stance, oddly the girl was a bit intimating despite her size. She unsheathes her rapier pointing towards Vernal swaying it back and forth.  
   
“You're going to fight me, with a fishing rod?... seriously. ” snickered Vernal. She clicked the trigger of her chakrams to charge up the dust.  
   
The Faunus girl sighs at Vernal’s jeer at her weapon like she had heard of the mockery of her weapon before, the hooded girl clicked the trigger on her weapon and, made her firm rapier droop like a whip.  
   
“Um, I would make a joke about that but, sadly I don’t have time for that either.” Vernal snide trying to hold in her laughter.  
   
“You must think your funny, your jokes have clearly progressed to a 6th grader, are you proud of yourself.” disparage the girl. She clicks the trigger again and, charging the dust within the chambers of her weapon.   
   
“Oh, I am though, to be frank what about you? Aren’t you like twelve.” Snide Vernal gesturing to the girl. Vernal’s weapon is almost charge.   
   
The girl twitches from the woman’s dig at her appearance “I’m seventeen, jackass .”  
   
“Wow really? You look like you have a body of a twelve-year-old. You aren’t as well developed as seventeen-year-old girls go, aren’t you? ” Vernal said cattily.  
   
The hooded girl raised her eyebrow at Vernal’s remark, “First how do you know what seventeen-year-old body of an average teenage girl looks like, second are you a pedo? and, third are you trying to flirt with me? And if you are, have you ever heard of statutory rape also aren’t you like forty-two, I may have to call the police.”  
   
Vernal twitch from the girl’s retort, “I’m twenty-two, not forty-two.”  
   
“Still, I need an adult but, I’ll be honest here, I've never seen an adult wear that much clown makeup on before.” she smirked.  
   
“This"Clown Makeup"  you primitive person, is from Sonora’s, this brand isn’t cheap kid but, how would you know about makeup freckles.”  
   
“Ohh~, I think I won this game got a little defensive there, maybe next time when you get better at your jokes and, your clown makeup ops, sorry your knock-off Sonora brand makeup, my mistake.”  
   
Vernal had enough of this girl insults especially about her makeup, “Shut up and, fight me.”  
   
The hooded girl smugly smirk. Her weapon finally charged, yellow electricity course throughout her weapon, sparks shoot out of the ghastly weapon against the moonlit night.  
A gust of cold night air blow across the rooftop amidst the fighters. The chilly air stood still as the combatants evaluate their tactics on one another with their weapons ready, suddenly the rooftop dims from the moonlight, the hood cover girl peeks upwards to the sky and, smile.  
   
The clouds have appeared across the sky near the fractured moon’s light, the blue-eyed girl turns to Vernal smirking.  
   
Vernal irritated by the girl’s smugness, usually, she’s the one who gets on people's nerves, “What are you smiling for?”  
   
“Oh you’ll see.” as she said that, she changes her skin to camouflage as the night.  
   
Before Vernal can react to the sudden transformation, the clouds elope the moonlight only distinguishing the dark rooftop. She holds up her Chakrams and, walks slowly across the rooftop, she scans her surroundings if she could at least spot the camouflage faunus or at least hear the girl’s footsteps.  
   
“Oh come on! Can this day get any worse than it has to be.” Vernal thought to herself frustrated.   
   
Vernal holds her guns close to herself aiming in nonspecific areas in the night, she vigilantly was on the lookout for the color shifting faunus.  
Maybe if her eyes get used to the dark she may find the mysterious girl, though she knew she couldn’t the find the girl, even if her eyes did adjusted to the night, the faunus could just as easily camouflage herself again if Vernal spotted her.  
   
Aruptedy a shot fire out of the shrouding darkness, briefly Vernal spot the girl from the electricity from her weapon, she took shots at the girl but, she had already moveed on to a different place, luckily the shot the faunus girl took missed, though Vernal wasn’t sure if it was luck or intimidation.  
   
“So her weapon does have a gun?! Okay, this is getting worse as this goes on great, well there is one thing but-.”   
   
She rummages through her side pouch on her belt for dust cartridges she looks at the cartridges with vacillation. Dust has become hard to come by ever since the dust embargo on the Schnee company, though Vernal knew what she needed to do.  
“Oh, I was going to saving you for something special Ugh! I hate this girl.” she groaned.  
   
Vernal sighs wistfully and, loads up fire dust cartridges in her chakrams, she fires luna upward into the sky, the fire dust bullet explode in the stratosphere producing light that surrounded the area of the rooftop. In the corner of Vernal’s eyes she spots the hooded girl standing five-feet aside from her, Vernal swiftly pivots on her right and, fires her double barrel shotguns at the girl. The girl quickly lashes the bullets away, unfortunately, the bullets hit the surrounding buildings of the rooftops.  
   
“Uh oh.”  
   
The hooded girl looks over her shoulder, “Oh no.”  
   
The roofs were set ablaze causing an almost hypnotic flames that spread across the rooftops of the city. The hooded girl panics and, tries to pull out ice dust cartridges out of her pouch, she shoves the cartridges clumsily into the chambers of her revolver, she shoots at the flames trying to extinguish it before it can spread throughout on the rooftops.  
   
Vernal took an opportunity of the girl’s distraction from the flames she tackled the girl.  
They fight over control of balance, punching and, kicking each other to get off of one of another's holds, finally Vernal overpowers the 5’4 girl but, in the process, they stumble too close to the ledge of the roof.  
   
The girls slipped off from the ledge and, cascade down the building, they both yelped as they stumble into shade covers and, roof tiles. Cut and bruises form while they plummet down the building.  
   
Finally, they made it to the bottom, landing on an unexpected Vendor stall and, shattering the stall into pieces.  
   
The fighters groaned from the stinging pain from their facetious fall, the hooded girl slowly crunched up from shattered pieces of the stall, despite the throbbing pain throughout her body she was able to get up without a broken bone in her body.  
   
Her hood was tattered, finally revealing her face as the clouds disperse to reveal the moon’s light. The girl had spots on her cheeks and, forehead, she had long auburn hair that reached to her waist, her skin was a brownish tan and her eyes were a grey-blue. The girl scowl at the stun bounty hunter who was half conscious.  
The aggravated faunus kicked Vernal hard in the leg, Vernal only responded with a painful groaned from the kick.  
   
“What were you trying to do!? Get us both killed, are you crazy!” yelled the girl.  
   
Vernal chuckled weakly, “Ha! There’s more then that came from ow, ow. Okay laughing hurts, ow.”  
   
The girl shakes her head from disbelief at the bounty hunter quipped, “Are you insane?! What did you think was going to happen! All cause you couldn’t get your bounty so you thought, might as well push us both off 13th story building!”  
   
“You know, to be honest with you I was trying to tackle you down onto the ground but, I think we missed that part and, just slip off the ledge, so we were the ones who pushed us off the roof. Not one of my greatest moments though I can at least blame someone with me with their stupid cape.” Vernal eyed the girl standing over her.  
   
The girl rubbed her temples from the woman’s logic “I should’ve just let you fall if I knew you were this desperate.”  
   
“Me, desperate?” Vernal chuckled “That’s rich mostly because you're the one who set the whole rooftops on fire!”  
   
“You were the one who shot those fire dust cartridges!”  
   
“And you were the one who swept them away with your whip of yours that cause, said fire!”  
   
The girl runs her fingers through her hair and, screamed out of the frustration of the woman, who layed on the shattered remains of a once vendor stall.  
She turns towards the bounty hunter point her weapon near her throat.  
   
“What you're going to kill me now? If so, in between my boobs I have a will so can you send it to the owner of the address.”  
   
The girl glare at Vernal without saying anything, if looks can kill she would win.  
   
“Or, don’t? You can just kill me it doesn’t matter, he’ll get it eventually.” quip Vernal.  
   
The girl bends down with her weapon in toe, she closed into Vernal’s face still with her weapon in hand with its sharp blade press against her throat, the girl spoke with a grimace, “Don’t follow me, If you do, you’ll regret it!”  
She abruptly stands up and, turns away from Vernal she swung her whip and, swung away from the bounty hunter.  
   
Vernal looked on into the starry night sky with smoke from the fire from the roofs. “This isn’t how I picture my night at all.”  
   
Citizens in the city flock out of their buildings seeing the flames that engulf the rooftops.  
The citizens gasp at the flames, people yelled for firefighters to put out the flames.  
   
“Well maybe Wei is still on the rooftop, hopefully, he didn’t burn up like crisp still need the guy to be identifiable for the jailer.” Vernal crunched up from the broken stall, she groaned from the pain “Ow okay, maybe not now but, I’ll eventually get him when I can get up.”  
   
Vernal slowly got up from the wooden rubble but, before she can stand a man across from her shrieked with his hands pulling on his hair.  
   
“What happened to my stall!?” yelled the man.  
   
“Uh-oh, well you see I-.” Vernal promptly stood up though instantly she stumbles as she attempted to run away from the angry vendor. The enraged man swiftly took off his shoe and, thrown his shoe at Vernal’s head, she took a plunge into the concrete face first.  
   
“OW! Okay, I can understand why your angry but, what happened here was that it was an accident”  
   
“If it was an “accident” Then why were you running vandal!” yelled the man.  
   
“Well you see, Ha this is embarrassing but, I don’t have ANY lien to pay you back but, I would if I had any you be the last of many people I have to pay back so-.” Vernal chuckled nervously.  
   
The Vendor flinched from Vernal’s replied to his question “Well you aren’t getting away from this! Oh no, police! Seize this woman!” he pointed at Vernal.  
   
Policemen around the corner heard the man call out to them, the police promptly walk towards the broken stall.  
   
“Okay, this night has officially turned into a nightmare.” Vernal turned her head away from policemen already dreading what she's going receive when she’s taken to the police station.

 


	2. The Interrogation

Vernal is escorted by the two officer taking her to her second home the police station, she walks up the steps along the officers they stop at the desk and one of them starts a pat down for weapons check. The Red-haired officer beside them took Agrios and, Luna and, set them aside in a box and, the officer walks away with the firearms to put in the evidence room.

 

The officer who patted her down now escorted her down to a desk where a woman with pink eyes with a dark complexion was reading a newspaper, she had her feet up on the desk.

The woman heard the approaching footsteps in her direction, she glances at Vernal approaching in cuffs she grins and, sets down her newspaper.

 

“Well, isn’t it Vernal Cobalt.” she snark “Do tell, _how does one set half the city’s rooftops on fire._ ” she sets down her feet off the desk and, inspects Vernal.

 

Vernal sharply inhales from the officer’s obvious snide comment, “ _Well,_ officer Alloy to put it in words that you can understand; it starts with your love life, up in flames sorta like half the rooftops of mistral ironically.”

 

The female officer scowls at Vernal’s comeback, she scoffs and turns to the officer beside Vernal. “Amarillo, did you pat her down for a second time.”

 

“What why?, She already got a pat down by me?” after he said that his face turned into a frown “Unless you're suggesting a _cavity search,_ ma’am.”

 

Officer Alloy was revolted by the newly recruited officer assumption, while Vernal’s eyes shot up with pure dread.

 

“NO!”, the women yelled.

 

“Jeez Amarillo, we’re not savages! _Unless,_ you **do** have something there which, _please say you don’t._ ”

 

“No! No, I do not! Just send me to your jail cell please!” yell Vernal.

 

The male officer let out a relieved sigh “Oh thank the gods, I’m not paid enough to do that.” he walked away from the two women and, sat at his desk. “Burg said you deal with her, his orders.”

 

The female officer rolled her eyes and, sighed, she got up from her chair and walks to Vernal. The officer pats her down, she pats on Vernal’s chest.

 

“Hey! Watch your hands officer Alloy, I know you have a hard time finding someone but, _this._ This is little inappropriate.”

 

“Oh shut up! I would have to have low self-esteem if I had to consider you.”

 

Vernal tried to suppress her laugh “You don’t.”

 

“Cobalt, I will suplex you in this station and, nobody here would care, _wait._ ” she takes out a wanted poster out of Vernal’s cleavage, she stares at the folded poster, she begins to unfold it and, looks at the back, _“Is this a will?”_

 

“Well, it’s a long story, Ew. Did I just say that? Ugh.” cringe Vernal.

 

Ally squinted her eyes at Vernal “ _Right~_ ” she said suspiciously.

 

The policewoman rolls her eyes at Vernal’s maybe accidental pun and, continues her pat down the officer pulls out five different knives from Vernal’s person. The young officer sitting near his desk was baffled by how many knives were missed from the first pat down and, the person in question who can hide so many.

 

“Wait?! how is that possible-”

 

Alloy interrupted the officer “Just don’t, you’ll hurt your brain if you think too much about it. Well Vernal, Welcome back to the station, _again_.”

 

“Wow, this is the first time you welcome me, next you're going to invite me for tea.” The officer is not amused by Vernal’s attempt to humor, ” _Really?_ is that all you have for me, you can do better, any way you’re not going to your usual spot.”

 

“Oh really. I thought was going to the resort oh by the way, does it have pool,” she said sarcastically.

 

“No, but it has an interrogation room.”

 

Vernal was taken back by officer Alloy’s statement. “What, why I’m going into the interrogation room?”

 

The female officer clicks her tongue “ _Oh Vernal,_ you know I can’t tell you that, you need to be left in suspense now let’s head into the interrogation room.” she pushes Vernal down the hall. Vernal didn’t appreciate that but, alloy just grins at Vernal’s irritated expression.

 

She continues to escort Vernal along to the interrogation room, Vernal quip at Alloy as they near the room, “So are you going to be in here with me officer Alloy, to keep your dear old friend some company.”

 

The officer cackled at Vernal, she shook her head. “Oh your funny, NOPE.”

 

The officer shoves Vernal into the dimly lit room and, painfully falls on her knees.

 

“Okay! This is the second time you did that you know asshol-” before she could get a word in edgewise, the female Officer shut and, locked the door to the room.

Vernal was the only one in the room she got off the cold floor and, patted the dirt off her knees she looks around the dingy room.

 

The lights flickered the entire interrogation room. She paces back and forth trying to comprehend the events that occurred tonight. She runs her fingers through her pixie cut out of annoyance.

 

“I shouldn’t be in here! I was trying to make this damn city safe, _of course,_ it’s mostly for the money but, still, they should at least show some appreciation!” she procrastinates to no one.

 

She sighs and, pulls out a chair under the table and, slumps onto it, she stares up at the flickering light in the room. She turns away from the light and lay her head on the cold table.

 

She has been in the room for over an hour till she heard the creak of the door open. She immediately got her head up from off table, there was a little pool of drool where she had slept, she straightens up from her chair and, looking at the Green-eyed officer before her. His tan complexion and, slick dark green hair and, rough face with thick eyebrows were distinguishable especially his sharp nose.

 

Vernal expression faltered into a frown when she saw the familiar policeman, he shuts the door behind him and proceeded to walk towards Vernal, he pulled out a chair under the metal table and, sat on it. He clasped his hands together near his face with his fingers intertwined, his tired eyes glared at Vernal.

 

Vernal changed her expression with a smirk towards the officer “Well hello Mr. Skobeloff how you’ve been, tell me, how are the kids.”

 

“The fact that you still have that stupid smug smile on your face after the shit you pulled tonight, is making me reconsider your mental state and, as well your bounty license you have, Now Vernal so do you mind explaining, _what happen!_ ”

 

“Of course Mr. Skobeloff as you see what happen was, I was taking a nice stroll through the city, you know as you do in the skeevy parts of Mistral on a Saturday night, like what normal people do but _wait!_ ” She raised her hands dramatically “You wonder.” Vernal imitates the officer voice _“Aren’t you a bounty hunter who usually find people in said skeevy place._ ”

 

She snaps her fingers, she returns to her normal voice “Oh yes I do Mr. Skobeloff! How percipient you are.” she said patronizingly.

 

The man slammed his hands against the metal table, “Vernal! I don’t have time for your smart mouth nor your Lien problems! Do you know how serious this is right now?!”

 

She raised her hands in defense, of course, she is still smirking which irritates the officer even more, “Okay fine, calm down Skobeloff you’ll give yourself an aneurysm also can you be a little more _specific_ there so many things that occurred tonight so be exact Skobeloff _._ ”

 

“Cobalt, Wei Zise was murdered.”

 

Vernal flinch, “Okay hold up, hold up, hold up. You said he was murdered?”

 

“Yes, that’s what I said Vernal and, the only suspect we have is you.”

 

Vernal crossed her arms, her expression remains stoic, she stared at the officer, “And you think I killed him, is that what you're saying.”

 

The officer scoffed at Vernal’s comment,“Vernal you are….many _things_.”

 

“Thank you? What are you trying to get at Skobeloff, am I murderer or am I how you _eloquently_ quoted _many things_ , make up your mind,” she said irritated.

 

“Okay! Can you just listen without opening your smart mouth for once.” he sighed “You're not the type of person to be satisfied by bloodlust, heck you're more into getting into escapades and, money to start killing people, sadly those escapades of yours causes more paperwork _.”_

 

“Wait you're saying I won’t get money from his bounty now?”

 

“Ah, I almost forgot about your selective hearing as well” he sighed disappointedly “Wei Zise bounty is annulled mostly because no one claimed him so he isn’t worth anything but, a cold dead corpse on the roof.”

 

Vernal eye twitch at the officer affirmation of the bounty she was looking for weeks for, she was about to burst into a profound rage of the officer’s information but, she recollects herself before she could cuss like a storm. She took steady breaths to calm herself, she combs her hair with her fingers trying to retain any of her composure, she made an unsettling laugh which made the officer across from her back away a little.

 

She finally stops laughing and, spoke “Great, just my luck! Weeks of planning, scourging through the gunge of Mistral’s finest slums is now wasted because some girl with a stupid cape killed him.” She buried her face in her hands groaning with defeatism.

 

Skobeloff raised his brows with surprised, he straightens his posture, “Wait you know who killed him?”

 

Her hands are still buried in her face she extends her arm at him and, raise one finger at the officer “Okay let me give you a very important detail on that person, we weren’t exactly _close_ Skobeloff, we sorta set the rooftops on fire and, fall off a 13 story building, on top of that we crash into anything that broke our fall till we hit the bottom of a vendor stall.”

 

The officer rubbed his temples and, groaned “Of course you did, if it doesn’t have property damage then it’s not Vernal.”

 

Vernal put her both her hands down on the table and, look at officer offended “Hey! That’s a lot of assumptions I don’t cause that much colle-”

 

“Seven months ago you broke into a local jeweler without a warrant to apprehend a known jewelry thief, you ended up destroying half the block in your shotty attempt at capturing the criminal.”

 

“Well I caught him didn’t I plus, he was the one who broke into that jewelry not me, so don’t try to twist this.”

 

“Okay maybe you're right but, you ended up giving the owner a heart attack.”

 

“Oh, that was after the fact. So how is she? Does she still want me to pay?” she asked anxiously.

 

“Well, she died from the heart attack from the shock of her shop getting destroyed.”

 

“Oh than- Oh wow I’m so sorry how’s the family, how old was she exactly?”

 

“She was 37.”

 

Vernal face soured,”Wow she looked way older than she seemed. Well um, still that was that one time after that I-.”

 

“Same month you crash into the markets with a bus.”

 

“You make it sound like I hijack the bus, it was those robbers who did, I just happen to be there I was picking up groceries for Nix.”

 

“But you were seen steering the bus.”

 

“So they wouldn’t crash into the people on the sidewalk also they were trying to take control of the wheel luckily they didn’t.”

 

“So you drove the bus into the markets, with more people in it?

 

“Those robbers were relentless and, fighting me over the wheel, also _semantics_ no one was hurt.”

 

“Except hundreds of Liens worth of damages of the markets. Question have you ever pay them back?”

 

Vernal didn’t look at the officer “What if I said, I was getting on that.”

 

The officer scowl at Vernal and, sighed, “6 months ago, you fell off a building with a bounty you were pursuing from the roofs in Zhōngjiān platforms all the way down to the Huāyuán jǐngguān park where a wedding was taking place, I believe you ruin the bride’s wedding.”

 

“Well she got repaid with Nix’s food... _for life._ ” she rubbed her neck.

 

“Yeah I heard, I also heard Nix is still angry about that also, on the 5th month there were 3 incidents in the same month it included children, a nightclub, and a gambling ring guess which one had more damages.”

 

“The gambling ring?” she squeaks.

 

“ALL OF THEM! How does one bring down a nightclub’s roof with a bottle!”

“Well everyone brought the roof down with their dancing so you can’t pin that on me.”

 

“Vernal shut up! And the gambling ring was a disaster!”

 

“Didn’t you catch the ringleaders of the ring though?.”

 

“Yes we did but, do you know how much paperwork, interviews, the news was all over on that investigation, because of you!” he pointed.

 

“What did I do this time!” she exclaimed

 

“You won almost half the illegal gambling ring earnings we sent you on!?”

 

“ _Well,_ you did instruct me to play along and, I did.”

 

“I said don’t act suspicious! I didn’t say take half the Lien in the gambling ring!”

 

She throws up her hands defensively “Everybody was cheating at the ring! So you can’t fault me on that, plus you took all my winnings I probably would’ve paid all my debt three times over with that lien.” She pointed her finger at him accusily.

 

“Oh please you would’ve spent it all on your crappy weapons and, your knock-off brand of Sonora makeup please, don’t insult my intelligence.”

 

She gasped at his comment “You have no right to talk about a woman’s maquillage you plebeian, also on the topic of the gambling ring, they had such a shitty system I bet children would’ve figured it out HA! What I’m saying their ring wouldn’t have last anyways if it got to that point.”

 

“Oh! And, there are the children, why did you send children in the ventilation shafts in a building where the most dangerous mafia in Mistral uh!”

 

“Skobeloff just gives me a moment, let me explain. Obviously I couldn’t fit in the ventilation shafts so got some kids off the streets that could fit in them so, I handed them scrolls to record the meeting and, when they were done I took them out for food for payment but, those little shits wanted Lien so I hightail out the restaurant and, it wasn’t like the orphanage incident.”

 

The man sigh “They still live in Haven’s gym you know.”

 

Vernal rolled her eyes “Ah whatever the orphans can handle it, their parents left them at an orphanage! so they can handle being left behind in crap places.”

 

He flinched at Vernal’s comment “Did it ever occur to you that maybe you're a sociopath.”

 

“Oh if I was a sociopath I wouldn’t care about their problems like at all, which I do by the way only because I own them Lien that I understand where their coming from but, here’s the thing I’m too busy with my own problems to care about _their_ problems at the current moment look Mr. Skobeloff, I’m a practical person so I do things hands on you know this _friend_ ,” she smirked.

 

“The only friends you have are your crappy guns and, a bottle of alcohol. You don’t form actual relationships Vernal, you destroy them and then it’s added to your collateral like everything else you touch.”

 

“And, the only friends I see you with is your office, your papers, and possibly your right hand though I think there is something more intimated going on there also that reminds me do tell Skobeloff, how’s the ex-wife.”

She looks at his ring finger which seems to have the imprint of a ring that was once there.

 

He scowls at Vernal but, he recollects himself after the jab at his failed marriage and, everything else before that “The point is, anything that involves collateral it always entails you.”

 

Vernal rolls her eyes and, chuckle at the officer, she slouches into her chair smirking. Skobeloff gritted his teeth at Vernal’s smugness but, goes on his original topic.

 

He clenches his hands “Tell me about the girl, on the roof.”

 

Vernal looked at Skobeloff stun but, resumes her composure, she sighs “Well as I say, I don’t know her but, I did get a good look at her face.”

 

“What did she look like?” he brings out his pen and notepad and, patiently waiting for Vernal’s description of the girl.

 

She straightens up from her chair and, spoke “She’s tan has spots all over her face, she’s around 5’4 and, has auburn hair up in a ponytail, and grey-blue eyes and, a smart mouth that I want to punch in.” she pauses at the end of her sentence. She chuckled darkly “I didn’t think she had it in her.”

 

Skobeloff writes down the description but, stops his pen and, looks up to Vernal “What do you mean?”

 

She crossed her arms “Well, she had a blade against my throat but, she didn’t kill me in the end.”

 

“Wait did you see her kill Wei by any chance?” he asked.

 

“No, but her and, I were too busy failing from a 13-foot story building and, crashing into a vendor stall, we lay there for about a good couple of minutes withering in pain. Obviously, she got up first and, left me with a warning; _If you follow me you’ll regret it._ ”

 

The officer groans and runs his hands through his greying hair, “This doesn't make sense.”

 

“Which one doesn’t make sense, a teenage girl killing a fugitive or a bunch of white fang members bursting into a skeevy bar.”

 

“That’s assuming if she killed Wei Vernal plus, she’s a teenager no way she could’ve killed wei for that matter.”

 

“Well, you be surprised what people can do Skobeloff, teenager or not.”

 

He scoffed at her comment, “Vernal that’s a bleak outlook but, whatever you think about Wei’s murder I do not care, what I do care about is the one who leads the White fang members inside the bar so did you see the one who sends them.”

 

Vernal sighs but, replies “Obviously he was a Faunus leading the white fang members um, he was around 6’5 had an attitude problem and, was an _interesting_ _person,_ by the way, did you caught any of those White fang members.”

 

He sighs pathetically “No, they scattered once we arrive at the bar, luckily no one was killed so that’s a blessing and, what do you mean by interesting?” his brow curled curiously.

 

“Well he tried to intimidate me with death which that’s a laugh, also he seems to be in a rush he was looking for someone in the bar but, that’s all know about the motive of that guy, luckily that drunk with the Tommy gun scared them away and, everybody in the bar.”

 

“Yeah I think that Tommy gun wielding Buffon was the one who hurt people but, the mayor post bail on the man for reasons along the lines of _protecting the well-being of the citizens of Mistral_.” he quoted with his fingers.

 

“Oh yes, the drunk racist who shot up the bar with people inside he clearly cared about the wellbeing of the citizens of Mistral, the only thing he did for his service for the people was when he shot up that rank ass bar now that he deserves praise.”

 

“I agree, Oh wow did we actually agree on something that never happens um. Well anyways.” he glances down at his notes.

 

Vernal was surprised by the officer agreement with her as he said that never happens, “Oh you can’t just say that and, move onto a different topic, we just had a moment Mr. Skobeloff without sarcasm and, poking at old scars we wished to forget.”

 

“Oh yes I can or unless you want more moments oh here’s one do, you want to hear about your settlement on that vendor stall you broke, that vendor was very adamant of that payment, just to let you know.” He smirked.

 

Vernal frown at the man, she sighs and, looks away from him irritated “You know what. _You can you change the topic.”_

 

He smiles smugly “Of course, _well~_.” The officer stands up from his chair and, puts away his pen and, notepad inside of his jacket “I’m done questioning you for the day, I’ll see you next week Vernal, maybe next time I’ll bring you coffee since you like coming back at this station.” he chuckled.

 

“Ha-Ha-Ha you're funny. One day you’ll appreciate what I do for your city, just wait.” she scowls at the officer.

 

Skobeloff chuckle at her comment and, shaking his head “If that ever happens it will be in my dreams, also Nix is here I believe he bailed you out a little side note.”

 

Vernal was caught off guard and, smacked her hands on the table anxiously, **“What?!”**

 

“Yeah he’s here, also he’s not particularly happy with you right now.”

 

“Ah man.” she rubbed her forehead out of frustration “I can’t deal with this right now.”

 

Skobeloff patronizes Vernal in a condescending voice “ _Aww_ , you can handle it, you're a big girl aren’t you.”

 

Vernal flipped off Skobeloff. He smugly smiles at Vernal, he sighs, “That isn’t a proper way to say thank you to an officer of the law and, I was going to say Bondi was coming by the station, um oh well, I guess you can see her when you come across her.”

 

She flinch when she heard the familiar name “Are you serious?! Skobeloff I will literally pay you if you tell me where she is, so I can avoid her.” She looked at Skobeloff desperately pleading with him.

 

He sighs at Vernal’s pathetic pleading though he can understand why she acts like that. Bondi isn’t the most pleasant person to be close proximity to. Skobeloff pushes the chair out of the way and, leaves the interrogation room and, opens the door for Vernal.

 

“Come on you can’t stay here you kinda smell like fruits and, something rotten.”

 

Vernal sighs in relief she gets off the chair and walks out of the room while exited the room she put her hand together like a prayer and, whispered thank you.

 

Skobeloff rolled his eyes at Vernal but, faintly smiles. She gets out of the room looking left and, right of the woman who was said to be in the station she hastily walks down the hallway. At the end of it, she notices the familiar tall stature man, his spikey red hair gave her a clue of who he was. Nix.

 

The caramel skinned man with cobalt eyes glowed with irritability at the sight of Vernal.

 

The Faunus man crossed his arms, “What happen this time, _Vernal_.” He growled.

Vernal shrug “ _Well~_ ”

 

“That wasn’t rhetorical.“ he sharply replied.

 

Vernal was confused by his statement “But, wasn’t it rh-”

 

Nix interrupted her before she can finish her sentence, he was obviously not in a good mood especially what has to happen and, Vernal didn’t want to piss off the man more especially since his home is the only thing she has for an actual place to stay.

 

“Vernal don’t talk while I’m speaking to you. I’m going to give you a very important piece of advice.”

 

A woman behind him interrupts him, her feminine voice was recognizable to the bounty hunter.

 

“ _Rosa.”_ she thought to herself. Vernal didn’t think much of Rosa she was a bitch in Vernal’s opinion, the only thing the woman got for herself was her looks otherwise she has a horrible personality.

 

The petite girl spoke condescending “Ha! Like she would take your advice, if she took your advice Nix it will be a when the grim can talk.”

 

“Oh, who said that I can’t see them is it grim, oh no it was Rosa sorry couldn’t see you down there I thought for a moment you were a child my mistake.” Vernal took a shot at Rosa, Rosa is around 4’9 and, she doesn’t appreciate Vernal’s short jokes.

 

“Oh pulling out short jokes, how original.”

 

“Oh It is original, just original as your bitchy attitude, tell how’s it like to blend in with the kids are you hip with the times, nice skirt it shows...more than to be desired, to be honest.”

 

Rosa was about to Glock Vernal in the boob but, that’s really the only thing she can’t reach but, Nix’s hold her back before she could get a hit on Vernal.

 

“Rosa don’t let her get to you, you know this.” the Faunus eyes Vernal “Now for you explain to me Vernal how using fire dust cartridges on windy rooftops was a smart idea, please do tell about your stupid plan.”

 

“Okay, first of all, don’t sass me Nix I had a-.”

 

“Oh, I can sass you alright, especially what you pulled tonight. Now explain _Vernal_ ~,” he demanded

 

Vernal was caught off guard by his tone towards her she didn’t want to piss him off more, she replies, “Okay let me fill you in don’t get mad Nix, I was pursuing my bounty a girl in a cloak was getting my payload and, tried to kill me, so I don’t know maybe I was little desperate.”

 

“Jeez Vernal, who were you pursuing,” he asked.

 

“She was chasing this guy.” Alloy spoke. She holds up Wei Zise poster, Nix walks towards the officer and, takes the poster.

 

“Her belongings will come when Burg takes them out of the evidence room, well see you guys next week.” Alloyed looks at Vernal smug.

 

She gander back at Nix, she giggles when he looks away from the woman with a blush “Have a good rest of the day, you’ll need it Nix.” she winked at Faunus.

 

She walks away from the Betta Faunus while swaying her hips at the man, he flusters even more at her very suggestive swaying, Vernal rolls her eyes towards Alloy when she wasn’t looking. Finally, the officer sat at her desk and, continued to read her newspaper.

 

Nix coughs from that encounter but, turns to inspects the poster that was handed to him. He peers at the image of Wei, when he’s done reading the description of the bounty, he turns to the back of the poster and he sees the will that Vernal wrote he stares at it confused but quickly get angry, he looks up from the poster and waves it at Vernal’s face.

 

“What does this mean I tried!?” yelled the man.

 

Rosa is surprised by the man’s outburst she reaches for the poster “Let me see.” she said worryingly, Rosa takes the poster from Nix and reads the content of the back of the poster.

 

Vernal chuckles nervously “Well you see I was chasing Wei and, so was the girl in the cloak and, I really wanted that bounty and, I might’ve thought I kinda would die _so,_ I put a will on the poster.”

 

“Vernal! Why would you even do that, why would you even think of wasting your life on this amount of Lien!” he yelled.

 

“You what!” erupt Rosa. looks up from the poster and, rolls it up into a tube. She walks towards Vernal and, begins to hit her with it. Vernal tries to block the hits with her hands

 

“Hey ow! I just fall from a damn building what do you think you're doing you midget!” she yelled at Rosa.

 

“You nasty ass! I should kill you,” she exclaimed. Still hitting Vernal.

 

“Rosa doesn’t threaten her with murder in a police station!” yelled Nix.

He holds back the fuming petite woman while Vernal tries to dodge the rolled up poster that Rosa is hitting her with.

 

“Actually if she did kill Vernal, we’ll actually have a lot less paperwork from Vernal escapades coming in and, if Rosa did kill her it would be only worth two pages of it, so we could _technically_ let that happen,” said Alloy.

 

“Alloy!” yelled officer Amarillo.

 

Before officer Amarillo could chide Alloy more he was interrupted by a loud crick of a door, Officer Burg came out of the evidence room with Vernal’s belongings, he hands it to Vernal and, nods at her.

 

Vernal nods back awkwardly at the man and he returns Vernal with a smile which in turn made Vernal smile back more awkwardly. Of course Vernal knew the officer was a strange man though if she would pick an officer that wouldn’t give her lecture it would be Burg he was probably the nicest officer she saw in the station though he can be a little too honest at times.

 

“Officer Alloy that is against protocol and, the law in Mistral I hope you know that, though I’ll agree with you if Vernal did die we probably would be saved from a lot of paperwork.”

 

Vernal frowns at Burg but, all he did was just stare blankly at her and, shrugged, he returns to his desk typing his reports.

 

Nix rubbed his neck and, glance at Vernal pitifully “Wow even the police don’t even care about you, tough stuff Vernal.”

 

“Okay, that’s a little exaggerated.”

 

“No, it’s not!” Alloy yelled across the room still reading her newspaper without looking up.

 

Vernal glares at Alloy with annoyance, Vernal looks away from her slowly, when she finally turns from Alloy she notices the unmistakable woman she’s been trying to avoid at the station “Bondi”. The long-haired blonde notice Vernal standing between Nix and, Rosa.

 

The blue eye woman smile and walks towards Vernal. Her heels echo across the hallway, their eyes met and, the sparks alighted between them with vexation.

 

“Well your back at the station again Vernal, do tell how do you get yourself in such a predicament,” she said coldly.

 

Vernal grimace “I don’t know maybe because you want me inside lockup you delusional psychopath.”

 

She clicked her tongue “Um, your one to talk.” The air between the two darkens they glared at each other with disdain.

 

Nix intervene between the women before the air around them doesn’t surrogate around them. “Ahem, well Officier Bondi I’ll assure you that Vernal hasn’t done anything illegal to warrant a prison sentence.”

 

“Maybe but, eventually she’ll get one.” her eyes wander to Vernal.

 

Vernal flips her off but, Rosa slaps down Vernal’s inappropriate gesture towards the detective.

 

The detective frowns at Vernal but, glances at Nix she smiles warmly “Nix it’s been awhile how’s your kid and, the restaurant.”

 

“Cole has been good otherwise my restaurant wouldn’t be open.” he rubs his neck.

 

“That’s good, it’s sad what happen to your wife Nix but, I’m glad your doing well especially your son,” said Bondi.

 

He looks from the side but, smiles. He glances at Bondi with a smile.

 

“Thank you, well we have to go back at my restaurant it’s a little busy tonight and, I don’t want my workers freaking out, though this could’ve been avoided uh Vernal.” He glared at Vernal.

 

“Hey!” the brunette whine. Look at the offended.

 

“Don’t whine, now let’s go.”

 

“Of course boss man.” she bows exaggeratedly. Nix rolls his eyes at her dramatic bow but, faintly smiles at her for being a little silly.

 

Nix and, Rosa get out of the station first while Vernal puts her belongings on her person, she stares at the wanted poster, she angrily throws it away. She equips her chakrams, she turns to the exit as she walks towards the exit, Bondi glares at Vernal and so does Vernal herself, she scoffs at the detective and, heads straight to the exit, unexpectedly the detective grabbed her arm and, pulling her close.

 

The detective whispers in Vernal’s ears “I will get you one day Vernal.”

 

She chuckles at the detective “Still think I’m that dead bandit.”

 

“They didn’t find her body but, reportedly a huntress said she died and, a Huntsmen confirm that she died in Haven. But, I have my doubts especially since the Huntress is a disgraced student who broke a boy’s leg and, a dropout while the Huntsman was a drunk.” her grip tightens on Vernal’s arm.

 

“How about you let my arm go detective. Or does another disorderly conduct have to be again on your record.”

 

Bondi faces pique with aggravation at Vernal’s comment. They stared at each other with pure hatred with one another and, not one of them is letting down their distaste for each other however they stop when a familiar voice spoke to them.

 

“Bondi let her go.”

 

Bondi turns away from Vernal and, looks at Skobeloff. Who had a stand in the middle of the hallway with his arms crossed.

 

“So are you going to let her go Detective Bondi or are you just going to gawk at me.” he peers down Bondi.

 

She turns away from the lieutenant, then glances at Vernal, she smirks at Bondi with the smug expression she always has on, Bondi is enraged by the woman’s smug confidence, she hisses sharply under her breath but, eventually, let’s go of Vernal’s arm.

 

Vernal rolls her shoulder “Well I guess I’ll see later you Skobeloff and, Bondi...I hope I never have to see your self-righteous face again, though I have a feeling I’ll be seeing you a lot, have a good rest of your night Bondi.” She condescended, she smirks cockily at Bondi and, turns away from her and, walks out of the station.

 

Bondi bites her thumb, her expression wrinkles into a rage. She glares at Vernal as she walks out of the station. Skobeloff walks next to Bondi he places his hand on her shoulder. Bondi turns her head to Skobeloff her expression settles into disappointment when she sees him.

 

“Bondi just give it a rest she has literally done nothing to warrant her to prison.”

 

She rolls her shoulder to get her senior officer hand off her. She turns her body to Skobeloff. “The fact you don’t see it makes you pathetic, have you lost your edge Skobeloff.”

 

Skobel flinches at her comment he frowns and, replies. “The real question in this matter Bondi is that have you lost your competence, or have you forgotten I’m your lieutenant, Detective Blau.”

 

Bondi holds her tongue when she hears Skobeloff reply. “No, I haven’t forgotten.”

 

“Good, now can you lay off her Bondi she isn’t that bandit you keep going on about.”

 

“Come on Skobeloff who else is name Vernal, She is one of Branwen’s right hand I know it and, you know it too!” she yells.

 

“The bandit who works for Raven Branwen is dead and, Vernal’s name being after that bandit is a Coincidence, also she doesn’t seem the type to go off murdering people, I would know a bandit when I see one, plus it’s Valo’s cousin, Nix wouldn’t lie to me heck to other people, now can you drop it.”

 

He turns from Bondi and, walks to his office before he can reach the knob of the door, Bondi shouted across the room.

 

“Just because she looks like Valo doesn’t mean she is her Skobeloff!”

 

His hand rests on the knob, he squeezes the knob until it made an imprint of his hand around it, he pauses and, without looking at Bondi he spoke grimly “Bondi I’ll advise you to watch your next choice of words.”

 

Bondi's eyes widen at his tone of voice, she looks away from Skobeloff feeling horrible for what she had said. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought her up but, I still stand to my conviction, she is that bandit I’m sure of it.”

 

He turned to Bondi vexed “Bondi they never found the body!”

 

“Yeah because the basement collapse plus it was written by a report by an alcoholic huntsman who was incapacitated at the attack of Haven.”

 

The man sighed at the detective reluctant to give up her conspiracy theory. “Even if and it’s a big if Bondi so even if the huntsman who was lying about the incident that happen to Haven, there was multiple people who can account and, were there in that very room that a huntress said that the woman died from her injuries, plus couple of other huntsmen who were around after the battle wrote on the report that the bandit that was with Raven Branwen was impaled and, died from the injuries.”

 

“Skobeloff even if you don’t believe me about her being the one with Raven Branwen that woman. She’s hiding something, that her eyes don’t seem right.”

 

“Why would her eyes have to do with anything, you sound ridiculous.” he crossed his arms and Scrutinizing Bondi claims.

 

“They look like a dead person eyes Skobeloff when you find a body and their eyes open there almost glossy.”

 

Skobeloff looks at Bondi as if she was crazy, Bondi scoffs and turns away from Skobeloff.

 

“I know you wouldn’t believe me.”

 

She walked towards her office and, shuts the door behind her. The station is eerily silent when the two stop fighting, Skobeloff sighs and looks at his officers who have been listening to the tense conversation between the two.

 

“What are you all doing get back to work!”

 

The officers scramble to their work when Skobeloff ordered them. He finally opens his door to his office he shut the door behind. He walks to his chair and, slouches into it he groans into his hands and, looked up at his ceiling.

 

He sighs at his long work of files ahead of him “This is going to be a long night.”

 

He looks at the files beside him. He grabs the files and, opens them. His face grimace as he study the files of his up oncoming case.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. I was SO busy moving and, trying to settle in at my new place but, now I'm back on it again yay.


	3. It's just scars

The ride to Nix's restaurant felt too long of a drive to get there though, it probably felt long because of the deafening silence between the two since he picked her up from the station, that Rosa was just glaring at Vernal at her rearview mirror a time to time. "Can you look at the road, you looking at me isn't gonna get us any faster you know, geez woman your eyes are freaking me out."

 

"I had to get out of my job early because of you're little bonfire you had on the roofs, so I can scrutinize you all I want."

 

"Ohh~ I'm so hurt and, intimidated as you sit on someone's lap and grimace at me, what will I do.", she said sarcastically.

 

Rosa can't exactly reach the gas pedal on the floor of the car all she could reach is the wheel but, as of now, she is sitting on Nix lap who is pushing the gas pedal of the car.

 

"I don't know maybe I could reach the pedals of my car if you didn't take my heels and ruined them! Remember that Vernal!" she barked.

"Hey, you said I can borrow them and besides, they looked better on me."

 

"No, no don't try to twist this you ass, you said you needed shoes for a job, so I said you can go through my closet for my used boots, boots! Did it jog your memory a bit? There are boots and there are heels, there are my used boots, there are my new heels, used boots and heels that cost over 700 liens!"

 

Vernal stop paying attention Rosa once she said used boots, which in turn made Rosa more pissed off. Nix hold Rosa in place so she doesn't swing at Blue-eyed bounty hunter.

 

"Rosa you can attack her when we get to my restaurant, till then you are driving the car."

Rosa grumbles but, turns her head to the road. They finally reached to Nix's restaurant they all get out of the car while Vernal got out of the car Rosa kicked her in the knee, She yelp.

 

"Did that felt good Rosa." smiled Nix.

 

"Of course," replied Rosa.

 

Rosa goes into the restaurant to finish her shift and, leaving the two behind. Vernal kneels down to rubs the wincing pain from her knee while she was kneeling Nix's put his hand on her shoulder. She turns her head to Nix.

 

"Get up, I need to talk to you now."

 

Vernal nods and, raise up from the ground and, waiting for his comment.

 

"Vernal what the hell is going on with you."

 

She looks at him surprised but, returns to her smug expression, "A lot of things is wrong with me this isn't new Nix."

 

"No, you're getting more and, more reckless to the point that you might actually die what is going on with you."

 

"Okay look." She sighed, "I'm just doing my job, bounty hunting is dangerous to let you know, so you should know that the things I do are pretty reckless."

 

"Are you being this reckless because you need the money and, feel that you indebted for me for letting you stay in my house if so, you know damn well it's the opposite." he frowns at the woman and, waiting for the woman's next words to be spoken.

 

"Okay listen Nix, I understand why you still let me stay inside your house, look I'm thankful that you put up with me with all the shit I do on the daily you're a saint but, I'm not the type of person you should let inside your house or even get close too."

 

 

Nix looks at her expressionless almost like she talk to him in another language.

 

"As you say when you stayed with me for 6 to 7 months at my home, right."

 

"Okay, okay smartass I see your point but, you understand what I'm saying, I just want to have my own place, have my own Lien, hell maybe be more responsible."

 

A voice yelled out of the restaurant. "Ha! That will never happen!"

 

Vernal was annoyed at Rosa interruption of the conversation, "Rosa why don't you mind your goddamn business!" she shouted back.

Laughter in the distance can be heard inside the restaurant mostly by Rosa crackling.

 

 

"I hate her so much Nix's you have no idea how aggravating she is."

"I can say the same thing about you but, you can deal with it, so are you ready to get inside." he smiled.

 

Vernal groaned and, slouched for a moment, she looks up to Nix's and nods. They both walk up the stairs that lead into the restaurant, the sign says Nix's and, Valo's. They entered into Mistral styled restaurant.

 

Nix's restaurant is the biggest restaurant that serves both human and, Faunus customers equally in Mistral, it's usually crowded and, very busy, the man himself is very successful and his restaurant was the fanciest restaurant that a Faunus can afford, a lot of people respect him mostly for his involvement in the Faunus community and those he helps those in need.

 

The customers cheer when they notice Nix's enter, Nix returns to them with a welcoming smile.

"So tell me Nix you have all this money but, you can't get a car."

 

 

"I wonder who messed up the engine to my car I wonder." as he looks at Vernal.

 

She sighs, "Point taken but, still you can buy yourself one like right now."

 

"Well I can but, I need that portion of the money to go to other Faunus who need it."

 

 

"I mean a couple of them can wait, while you get yourself a car."

 

"Um I could but, you have to pay for it," he smirked.

 

"Ugh you're killing me Nix, you're killing me." she dramatically gestured with her hands.

 

He chuckled "I didn't kill you, you killed your own wallet Vernal. You gotta face the consequences of that."

 

He turns from Vernal and, notices the Mustache-o weasel Faunus that cleaning the bar he had a jagged scar incline from his brow to his chin. Nix walks to the brown-haired man and, leans on the bar.

 

"I guess you handle yourself quite well Rust, I thought your rough around the edges personality would scare off my customers."

 

Rust looks offended at Nix's remark, "I'm not that anti-social Nix, tell me how you really feel don't cha." the weasel Faunus glances at Vernal "And look what we have here, tell me did ya make s'mores up on them rooftops V."

 

"No I ran out, jackass." she put her hands on her hips.

 

Both the men laugh while the hunter's expression was a mix of defeat and, irritation. However, that was cut short when she heard people whispering behind her they were talking about the white fang.

 

"Wait for what?", she thought to herself, she eavesdrops on the men's conversation.

 

A Buck Faunus whispered, "Have you heard about the group of white fang that went to that bar tonight."

 

The human who was talking to the buck Faunus was shocked and, whispered, "Wait! That actually happens."

 

"Yes, the police say it was white fang members that busted up the bar in the shanty part of the city."

 

 

"That's unsettling." the human whispered.

 

Vernal stops eavesdropping on them and, eyed rust about the problem, "Um so I guess everyone knows about the white fang uh."

 

Rust sighed, "Yeah everyone is talking about the white fang more than the fire you pulled, and usually you're the one that everyone talks about when something goes awry."

 

Vernal frown at Rust, "First...I didn't mean to break people's things, their things just happen to be in the way."

 

Rust looks at her expressionless and, rolls his eyes, "Of course Vernal," he said sarcastically.

 

She replies to him with a middle finger and, he just smirks but, he goes back on topic about the white fang again.

 

"Well it seems the more the white fang come here in Mistral, the more it seems that local Faunus seem to join them and, that's good not for the Faunus and, the humans respectively."

 

Nix rubs the back of his neck frustrated, "I agree this is turning into a mess, Vernal got questioned by the police about them.

 

Rust stopped cleaning his bar and, looks at Vernal worried. "Woah are you serious? are you okay did they hurt you."

 

"No they didn't Rust look at me, do I look like I get hurt by a couple of white fang member's Nah. I have a skill that's why I've never broken a bone." As she confidently said that, Rosa overheard her and, walked up to Vernal and since Rosa is short the hunter didn't see her when she jabbed her on the rib where she had fallen on which it has been heavily bruised from the tonight.

 

Vernal hissed from the pain however she tried to mask the pain though it was obvious that she did a poor job hiding it, "Well I did see them but, they weren't nothing and, I didn't stay too long mostly for my bounty the only thing that was strange about them is that they wore a lot more red then white."

Rust and, Nix look at each other worried. Rust spoke up, "Do you think the white fang split?"

 

"What are you talking about?" She crossed her arms, "What do you mean did they split." Vernal curiously asked.

 

"I don't know but, if that's the case then-" before he can finish his sentence a red-headed child hugs him, Nix looked down at the boy who's hugging around his leg, he smiles when he recognizes him. He picks up the child and, spins him around. "Hey, there kid how you been."

 

The boy in question was Nix little boy he is around six years old, he has little blue fins on both sides of his head and, bright orange eyes, and tan skin, he looks at his father,"I been an alright dad, did you pick up Vernal again." asked Cole.

 

Rust snickers at the boy's comment, Vernal frowns at Rust but, turns away from and, looks at the boy she bends her knees and, smiles. "Well hello there Cole how you been."

"I've been good, did you went a jail again. Is that like your second home Vernal?"

 

Vernal looks down when he asked her that question, and Rust busts out laughing. Cole is a very, very honest child.

 

"No Cole but, that's where Rust will go if he keeps giving me shady Intel about people, right Rust," she said while she turned to Rust at the end of her sentence.

 

Rust stops laughing and, squints Vernal irritated. Vernal sticks out her tongue at the man and, smirks.

 

"Can we play Vivi?" asked Cole.

 

Vernal smiles at the boy, she is about to reply to him but, she looks around the dining floor and, people look at her angrily. Most people didn't like Vernal mostly her costly collateral damage in the city, and if there was a Faunus they view her as lousy human taking advantage of Nix's kindness of course that wasn't true though sometimes she wonders if their right whatever the case, both human and, Faunus didn't like her one reason or another and their eyes pierce her like hundred arrows when they look down to her.

 

She quietly chuckles to herself "They certainly don't like me today, especially what happens tonight." She thought to herself.

 

Vernal sadly smiles, "Sorry kid I had a long day today how about tomorrow and, maybe I teach you how to handle Argios and, Luna."

"Really! You'll teach me!", said Cole his fins flap excitedly.

 

"Yeah, I'll show how to wield these two tomorrow okay," said Vernal.

"Is that a promise?" asked Cole.

"Yeah it is, I'll see you tomorrow morning," said Vernal. The hunter stands up and, says goodnight to everybody.

 

"Yeah, yeah, goodnight or whatever." Rosa waves her hand.

"Night V."

 

"Goodnight also doesn't break anything while you're up there Vernal, remember this is my house," Nix yelled across the room.

"Yeah, yeah I got it, see yeah," yelled Vernal.

 

 

She walks up the stairs to her room, she pauses and, looks behind her at the dining floor filled with laughter and, festivities from the people that Nix's helps out or just serves them their favorite meal. She smiles when she sees the Nix and, Cole and, the rest of staff laughing down on the dining floor. Quickly her smiles falter when she remembers what she is and, what she has done.

 

"I don't deserve you any of you."

 

She assumes goes up to her room. She turns the knob and the door creak open, her room was small with a small open window, it's really was quite simple room, nothing really stands out if you count her mattress on the floor and, a mirror.

 

Vernal sighs and closes the door behind her, she kicks off her boots in the corner of the room and walks towards the mirror standing affront of it looking at her reflection.

 

_"Just do it, it's just a scar you have some all over your arms Vernal, this isn't any different from the others."_

 

She takes a deep breath and slowly lifts up her shirt, puncture scars formed a circle around her stomach. She breathes heavily of what she sees and, what she remembers the agonizing pain that befalls her on that day, she remembers the woman in red who gutted her, who violated her, who patronize her, who killed her. She remembers the words of the woman.

 

_"It's nothing personal dear, you're just not worthy of such power but, I am...so I will take what is mine."_

 

The hunter remembers the pain from that day, her face twisted in a horror as she feels her stomach twisted into butterflies, the memories flooded her in mind like a tsunami and, she feels the pain like it was yesterday.

 

_The tearing of the flesh of the grim hand twisted her flesh the unbearable squeezing of her stomach as the acids spilled out of her freshly pierce flesh, it burns as the grim hand felt like poison to her very soul._

 

She breathes rapidly until she turns away from the mirror tears swelled up her eyes, she wipes her face with her hands of the tears that poured out her sockets. She chokes on her screams nothing comes out her throat as her voice sounds like rasps trying to catch her breath.

 

She's trembling and, is reduce to rapid breathing she tries to keep herself from hyperventilating as the uneasy memories flood her consciousness.

Her lungs burn as she tries to breathe she curls up in a ball she stayed like that for twenty minutes when finally she calms down, she raised her trembling hands through her hair she feels the cold sweats that poured out her skin, her whole body rattles from her anxious state.

 

She wobbles when she attempts to stand up, she falls on her knees and lands on all fours, her heavy breathing racks her body as her cold sweat comes off her brow and falls on the floor making a small puddle.

 

She looks at her bed she again stands up she wobbles as she walks to her bed. She kneels on her bed, she crawls on her bed and, lays on it she curls up in a ball breathing heavily still, when she finally calms down from her panic attack she turns on her side, resting her head on the pillow she wants to drift off to sleep but, she knows her insomnia wouldn't let her, she turns and lays on her back looking at the ceiling.

 

She stares up at the ceiling as she heard her slowed heartbeats through her ears she closes her eyes and, gulps. She opens her eyes still looking at the ceiling, she contemplates if her life would ever be the same but, she knows it is unlikely. The night drifts on as she sinks into her uneasy conscious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heavy footsteps run across the roofs of Mistral, White Fang member look up and, down the rooftops of the city.

  
"Did you see where she ran off too!"

 

A younger Faunus runs up to the captain out of breath,"I believe she went this way, sir!"

 

The captain nods and turns behind and sees his followers he shouted,"Alright brothers and, sisters the sooner we get this traitor Ilia Amitola, the sooner Lieutenant Phthalo would be pleased. Now move it!"

 

All of the members split up in different directions to find the rouge member.

 

Ilia hid behind a shaft of a building. She groans in pain, she looks at the side of her body. A part of the wooden stall is lodge on her side she slowly bleeds. She breathes rapidly from the stinging pain, she gets her hand on the wooden splinter she tries to breathe but, it ends up unevenly that she's trying to get over the fact that this will hurt like hell.

 

She slowly moves the splinter out of her body, she yelped when the sharp feeling stings on her side, She composes herself from the pain, she raises her right hand off the splinter and, takes off the glove from her left hand, she stuffs the glove into her mouth. She closes her eyes and, breathes evenly.

 

Finally, she yanks the splinter out of her body, she groans into the glove from the agonizing action, sadly this isn't over. She stole some fire dust off the bounty hunter that had chased her and, cause her to have this splinter on her side. "Oh I so I'm going to kill that human." thought Ilia.

 

She looks at the dust and, her wound, "By the gods." she whined. She shakes off the thought of the shooting pain that would happen in a bit. "Okay just use your aura Ilia...you done this before except it's without your weapon and, you never using the dust to heal up your wounds, I'm not helping myself at all with these thoughts."

 

She zips down her suit exposing the puncture wound on the side her body, she winces at the ghastly wound, she picks out some of the smaller splinters on her wound carefully, she evens out her breath and, counts to three to alight the dust. "1...2...3."

 

She powered up her aura and, the dust alighted on her flesh. She screams in agony of the searing pain, everything in her vision turns white, her body changes all sorts of colors as the pain racks her whole side of her body as the excruciating blaze was lit on her flesh, luckily the wound healed however it had left a very nasty burn on her skin.

 

She sweats form from her brow from the throbbing pain from her side. She chuckles weakly.  
She renders to the unconscious. For Ilia, this would be the most sleep she has had for past six months running away from White Fang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took too damn long to get my internet setup to post this chapter I had this done four days ago. Rah!  
> Well here's Chapter three guys.
> 
> leave kudos or comments it be appreciated.


	4. Fallen to hard times

The hunter was awake the whole night up till morning, her eyes drift to the window as the sun rises.

 

“Seriously.” she groaned. A knock is heard in her room. A muffled voiced Rosa spoke.

 

“Hey mess up, your breakfast is ready!”

 

Vernal sighed,” Okay Rosa just give me a moment.” The hunter gets up and, changes her clothes with less...sweat. “I swear it was a shit show last night, it getting worse the memories that sleep been out of the question for couple days.”

 

“Verrrrnnnaaallll~ hurry up.” muffled Rosa behind the door.

 

“I’m coming, you goblin geez.” Vernal puts on her freshly clothes just a plain white long sleeve collar shirt with fuchsia pants and boots. When she is done putting on all her clothes she goes to the door. When she opens the door she sees the 4’9’ft woman below her, her hand is on her hip with her expressionless than welcoming and, more impatient.

 

The Pink-Haired woman was taken aback by Vernal’s appearance, "Wow you look like shit.” the petite woman spoke.

“And your still 4’9ft what about it.” Vernal leans on the doorway with her arms cross.

  
“True, also took you long enough Cole has been awake all morning waiting for you to teach him your ‘Skills’ as you say.”

“Oh yeah I did say that, where is he?”

 

“In the dining room obviously, also you smell horrendous, take a shower woman, god we're not animals in this establishment,” Rosa said as she plugs her nose from Vernal’s stench.

 

Vernal is about to explain but, was distracted by loud footsteps across the hallway from her. Rust comes walking towards the women.

 

“Someone smells, Ooo~.” his ears perked up “I just got a thing that can fix that here,” said Rust coming close between the women.

 

He takes out his cologne out of his rugged jacket and sprays it all around the women and, himself. Both of the women coughed repeatedly.

“By the gods Rust that’s too much!” coughed Rosa.

 

 

“Rust lay off the cologne there are more chemicals then there is oxygen.” Vernal waving away the Rust heavy use of cologne.

 

“Ah if you can breathe through the cologne then it’s not enough, talking about not enough.” He sprays more cologne on himself.

 

“Okay, Rust now you stink more than me okay, lay off the cologne a tad bit or at least stand like five or ten feet away from me.”

Rosa agrees, "Yeah Rust, that’s too much musk.”

 

Rust just ignores the two and, walks past them to go downstairs. As he passed them the ‘musk’ almost makes the two women gag.

 

“Okay so maybe you don’t smell as bad as Rust right now but, you still have to take a shower human.”

 

“Fine, I’ll take a shower when I’m done teaching Cole with Agrios and, Luna.”

 

Rosa tsked at Vernal disappointedly as she walks away from Vernal. Vernal rolls her eyes and, follow suit down the stairs.

 

She sees Cole being jumpy on the stool and, twirling around out of boredom, he stops twirling when he sees Vernal.

 

“Vernal!” he yells, he jumps off the stool and, runs up to Vernal, "So when are we going to do the weapons.’

 

 

“Till I get some food first kid.”

 

“Oh.” Cole said, he looks down for a moment but, quickly looks at Vernal, “Can you eat your food really fast then?” he asked.

 

“Oh your eager aren’t you, well maybe we’ll see.” Vernal smiled.

 

Cole pouts while he crosses his arms, "I want to learn how to wield your Charkrams now though." he pouted. The bounty hunter laughs at the boy's expression.

 

“Cole patience is a virtue you’ll get to train soon.” as Nix walks out of the kitchen, he looks to Vernal, “Also good morning Vernal did you get good sleep.”

 

“No, I didn’t, though I be alright I’ve been through this before Nix.”

 

 

Nix sighs,” Okay if you say so also, Rosa can you set up the kitchen.”

 

“Right on it boss.” as she walks to the kitchen Nix stop her at her thought.

 

“Also can you take off the scarf.” as he sets up his utensils for the kitchen.

  
Rosa looks at him crazy, “Come on Nix are you serious.”

 

“Rosa I’m serious.”

 

“Why all this all the sudden, you never ask me to take this off.”

 

“Rosa just do what I say, I’ll tell you about it later but, can you do that please.”

 

Rosa and, Nix have a long staring contest however it ended pretty quickly, Rosa sighs “Okay fine.”

 

She takes unwraps her scarf off her neck as she took it off, feather-like fins stuck out her neck about three on each said of it.

 

“Well, that’s something. So your like a fish faunus of some kind.” asked Vernal.

 

“Technically no.”

 

“Technically?” Vernal sounded confused.

 

“It’s a long story and, I don’t want to get into the details but, I’m salamander though if you want to be more specific I’m an Axolotl and...okay what are you doing.”

 

As Rosa was talking to Vernal, Vernal was reaching to touch the fins of the waitress neck but, stops when Rosa notices what she was doing. Rosa stared her down, Vernal smiles and, backs her hand away.

 

Cole looks at Vernal “You shouldn’t touch Rosa’s fins, she doesn’t like it I should have known better not to touch them, also she makes a weird noise if you do.”

 

Rust in the background attempts to suppress his snickers but, failing at it as Nix looks at Cole horrified of what he said and blushes.

“What do you mean by weird noise?” asked Vernal.

 

Abruptly Vernal was cut off of her question, "NOTHING, IT’S NOTHING!” yelled Rosa as she blushes. She burst into the kitchen to avoid everyone in the dining room.

“Wait a minute...Your telling me-,” Vernal is again cut off by Nix.

 

 

“Anyways! We need to set up the kitchen and, you should start eating your breakfast it’s gonna get cold.”

 

Vernal chuckles at Nix, "Alright I’ll eat my breakfast.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

  
In the backyard of Nix’s restaurant, Vernal is teaching Cole about her weapons. Cole sits on the ground and, listening to Vernal intensely.

“Okay Kid, I need you to listen to me and, I want you to listen to me carefully.”

 

Cole nods non-verbally at Vernal.

 

“Okay then, I trust you now, I’m going to literally guide you with one of my chakrams, now your going to learn with Luna she’s more easy to control and, easier to get a handle of, though that doesn’t mean she won’t hurt you, she definitely can, so I want you to be really careful with her.”

 

Cole raises his hand. Vernal looks at him amused, “You know you don’t have to raise your hand kid.”

 

Cole looks at Vernal flummox.

 

Vernal chuckled, "Yes what is your question.” she crossed her arms.

 

“What what’s wrong with Agrios?" asked Cole.

 

Vernal rubs the back of her neck, “Well Agrios is kinda interesting she a little unhinge this one, she does what she likes though she always comes back though not without some blood, you aren’t at that level to control her you know.”

 

“Wow then why not get another one that is more stable.”

 

“Well she is more of a family heirloom, so I can’t really get rid of her that she has saved my life plenty of times.”

 

Before Vernal could get her thoughts assemble for the lesson Rosa and, Rust are on the balcony of the restaurant, Rosa yells across the backyard, “Do you always talk to your weapons like there people because there are your only friends, come on be honest.”

 

“You know what, I’m curious too about that.” said Rust.

 

Cole shushes them,” Quiet Vernal is teaching me and, you're interrupting my lesson.”

 

Rust and, Rosa put their hands up defensively at Cole’s exclamation.

 

“Rust, Rosa what the hell are doing here!” Nix yelled, “Rosa you're supposed to be handling orders and, Rust you're supposed to be serving drinks at the bar now get your butts in here now!”

  
Rosa and, Rust scramble to get inside the building to get back at their job.

 

Vernal chortle at the scene with the workers however it was cut short when Nix looked at her grimly serious.

 

“You better make sure he doesn’t get hurt and, if he gets hurt I’m going to hunt you and, skin you with my clever Vernal and, I’m serious,” said Nix.

Vernal laughs and, rolls her eyes, “You wouldn’t do that and besides, I’ll make sure he doesn’t hurt himself I’m responsible.”

Nix looks at her scrutinizing her.

 

“Okay maybe not people’s things but, I’m still responsible for people’s lives especially the lives of people I know.”

 

Nix still looks at her scrutinizing to point he glares at her.

 

“Okay, Nix I understand just, just stop looking at me like that it’s kinda creepy.”

 

Nix growls and, raise his hand getting his index and, middle fingers pointing at his eyes and, pointing back at Vernal’s, watching her.

 

Vernal chuckles nervously rubbing the back of her neck. “Okay, Cole you want to learn safely with Luna.”

 

“Yeah!” yelled Cole excitedly.

 

Vernal stands behind Cole guiding his hand with hers with luna, “Follow my motions okay, paid attention.”

Cole nods.

“Great,” said Vernal. She guides Cole hand with hers and, setting the motions of the weapon. She jerks Cole's hand. “Now let go.”

 

Cole let’s go of Luna and when he does the chakram spins through the air. Cole jumps excitedly.

 

“That’s great kid, now get ready to catch I’ll guide your hand okay.”

 

Cole nods at the hunter. As the Chakram comes back Cole gets nervous as it spins back to him but, Vernal reassures Cole guiding his hand. When the Charkam comes close Vernal gets Cole hand making it clasp the handle of the weapon safely.

 

Cole prances excitedly when he caught the weapon “Woah! That was awesome.”

 

A wide smile spread Nix’s face proud “Good job Cole!” yelled Nix.

 

“That’s pretty good kid, you better than me when I first tried.”

 

Cole turns around to Vernal curious, “Oh taught you how to wield your weapon?”

 

Vernal was stun by his question, her expression turned melancholy. “They aren’t important right now, though I do have something for you wait here.”

 

She strides away from the boy to the garden, she digs through the bushes, Cole tries to take a peek of what Vernal is getting but, Vernal glances at Cole shaking her head, Cole blushes from embarrassment and, stays put of where he’s sitting. When Vernal is done rummaging through the bushes she carries a box with her. She pivots to Cole.

 

Cole is curious of what the contents that the box holds. “What’s in there?”

 

Vernal smirks and, open the box to Cole When Cole peeks inside the box his eyes lighten by what was inside. Two Chakrams were side by side.

 

“Can I.” He looked at Vernal hesitantly.

 

“Go ahead, you can grab them.”

 

The boy grabs the Chakrams and, admires them. “Thank you so much!” the boy exclaimed. He hugged the hunter tightly.

 

“Hey there don’t get too excited those Chakrams don’t have blades on them yet, so right now you just need to practice how to throw and, catch one properly without cutting yourself up.”

 

“I’m going to practice it right now,” Cole said excitedly.

 

Yeah, go ahead. Said Vernal. She looks to Nix smug. Nix’s just rolls his eyes.

  
Cole cavorts further in the backyard delighted for his weapons. “I’m going to practice in the garden.”

 

“Be careful!” yelled Nix from atop the balcony.

 

 

“I will!” Cole yelled he runs deeper into the garden to practice.

 

Nix laughs heartily “I don’t know if I should be worried or proud, either way, good job Vernal.” said Nix.

Vernal curtsy to Nix. “Yes, sire.”

 

Nix shakes his head “Whatever smart ass.” he chuckled, “Watch over him so he doesn’t get hurt okay.”

 

“I’ll make sure after he’s done with his practice, do you need me to do something.”

 

“Yeah can you get some of my orders for the restaurant, it’s across town in the food market.”

 

“Consider that done.” Vernal pivots from Nix and goes into the garden where Cole had run off too.

 

As she goes deeper in the garden she calls out for Cole, “Cole where are you kid.”

 

“I’m here in the flower bed.”

 

“Alright, I’m coming to you,” called Vernal. As she makes her way to the flower bed she recognizes a familiar face. The man wore a finely tailored deep green suit, he wore a green beret, his eyes were light green.

 

“There is a weird guy in the garden Vivi,” said Cole.

 

“That isn’t a nice thing to say, kid. You hurt me kid, you hurt me.” said the man.

 

Vernal guides Cole behind her, "Cole can you go back to the restaurant.”

 

“Why?” he asked.

“It’s grown up stuff kid, it’s a little boring.” said the beret man.

 

Cole looks to the man and, to Vernal. “It’s alright nothing bad, just go back to your dad he needs you to clean the dishes.”

 

The boy looks at hunter suspiciously and, looks to the man, the man tips his hat to the boy. Cole looks at Vernal worried. “Okay but, don’t be out too long.”

 

“I won’t, it just take a minute.” she rustled Cole’s red hair. “Now go back to helping your dad.”

 

 

Cole nods and, runs away from the two. Vernal smiles at Cole when he runs back, she stops smiling when she turns back to the man in question.

 

“What do you want Brunswick.”

 

“Come on Vernal we are well acquainted call me Rio.”

 

“You didn’t answer my question, Why. Are. You. Here.” said Vernal.

 

Rio looks at Vernal smirking. “To the point uh, fine I want to ease you into the gritty details but, you just want to head straight in uh, well I’ll tell you. and hey don’t take this personally, it’s my boss’s orders you know deal with mafia’s uh Vernal, well miss Cobalt my boss has told me you have failed of catching Wei and, he’s pretty...disappointed.”

 

“What does he want?” she asked vexed.

 

The man chuckled at her question, "Are you seriously asking that.” He laughs grimly, “Well he wants his money back, that’s what he wants Vernal, remember that little gambling ring incident. You cost him a lot of Lien I’m surprised he doesn’t go and, kill you himself whatever the case. You have about the end of the week to pay up.”

 

“I can’t pay that on time.”

 

“Well then I guess you have to work for my boss then Vernal, maybe you should’ve stuck your nose somewhere else when you took that gambling job, though if you do work for my boss I think you’ll be valuable part of our organization, I mean you look the part and, you have an inkling to destruction, you’ll fit right in.” he smiled.

 

“I’m not interested in your little boy’s club.”

 

The man frowns at Vernal’s answer, “Well Vernal like it or not, my boss will send his men after you and, he won’t just go after you, he’ll send some of his men to go after your little family that you got here, You’re maybe the cousin of Valo the woman who made this joint and, even though she helped my boss on the high platform that sympathy doesn’t go to fools, related or not.”

 

“If you think a threat will speed up your ransom you have a bad lapse of judgment.”

 

“Well here’s the thing Vernal, the offer still stands until the end of the week, choose wisely. You wouldn’t want that kid to get hurt right.”

Vernal had enough of Rio’s psyche games, “Get out before I do something I won’t regret.”

 

“You mean ‘do something I don’t regret’?” Said Rio.

 

“Oh no I know what I said, you got a count to ten. 1..”

 

Rio raises his hands, "Fine, fine dark and, brooding I’ll go, I know when I’m not wanted.”

 

The man walks away from Vernal and, heads out of the garden. When he is out of sight Vernal kicks on a stone fountain till it breaks.

 

Vernal huffs from rage. “Dammit, now I have to pay for that too, Shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't take money from shady ass strangers kid's or just don't take anything from shady as strangers in general.
> 
> and, talking about strangers, leave comments and, kudos. Cause I'll take that from you guys


	5. Hook

It’s been a whole day since Brunswick visited Nix’s restaurant, The bounty hunter has been trying to figure out of how she can even pay that amount of lien in a week she’s been stress the whole day and, hadn’t really slept, though she never really sleeps since her insomnia stops her from having even a good night's sleep however she digress, of course she could just murder him it’s not like she hasn’t killed people before, she did plenty of killing as a right hand for Raven, however she knows she can’t do the things she used to when she was a bandit that she’s been trying to reform her ways but, even being a  _ quote _ on _ quote _ good person is just as hard as a bandit’s life maybe even more since all these laws keep her of doing her job easier and quicker and, some of them are stupid like parking tickets she didn’t kill someone to get a parking spot.

 

“Cities are stupid I should live in the forest again maybe build a cabin instead of a tent maybe become a hermit or something. Nah I’m too much of an attention seeker to be not notice and, be by myself.” she thought. She sits contemplating on the stool of what she will do to get the money, she buries face into her hands, Nix’s notice Vernal getting stress as of late, he sighs, “Do you want to talk about something.” he asked.

 

Vernal looks up at the tanned skinned man whose been cleaning the dishes for the past hour, Vernal shakes her head, “Not really it’s nothing you should consider yourself it’s personal and, I can handle it.” she said. Of course she’s knows she can’t handle it but, she doesn’t want Nix to be drag into her mess.

 

“Alright then, well maybe getting fresh air would help you out of this slump you been having since yesterday.”, He dig out of his apron and, handed her a list.

 

“What is this?” her brow quirked up.

 

“Special ingredients for some dishes, it’s going to be the anniversary when me and, my wife open this restaurant five years ago, I thought you might need an excuse to get some sun.” he smiled.

 

Vernal looks at the man pleasantly surprise, “You and, your wife open this place five years wow your business is booming.”

 

“Yeah it’s been a ride, even though she isn’t here on this world anymore her presents still live on in this restaurant Um, she was such an amazing woman she always helped people event though most would give on them, I’m surprised she even stick with me considering how much trouble I would get in.” He laughed. Vernal was startled by this information he just gave her.

“You got in trouble stick up his ass Nix’s the law bringer.” she chuckled. Nix’s scoffed at her snarky comment.

 

“Well Vernal I wasn’t always the law bringer you thought, I used to be in so many fights when I was younger, man I remember when Skobeloff was just a regular Mistral cop and, he would put me in jail, geez I'm getting old.” he dried the stack of dishes and, put the on the side. 

 

“I wish you would’ve met her, she would light the light in someone who never even knew what light was, I love that human woman.” he glances somberly towards the picture on the wall it seems to be the first day of the opening of the restaurant. 

Nix’s is a little more younger in the picture he’s holding baby Cole in his arm while the other is wrapped around his late wife waist, she also wrap her arm around the betta faunus, while her hand is place on his chest, the woman herself was attractive he has long brunette hair, blue eyes and a beauty mark on her left cheek, she wore a white summer dress.

They look happy in the photo however Vernal notices every time she sees Nix looking at the photo he looks sadden.

 

Vernal rubs the back of her neck, “I bet she was amazing.” she tried to make the situation less awkward. Nix’s chuckles softly.

 

“She was, now that I think about it.” he eyes wander to Vernal however when he did he produce a mischievous grin. “So is there anyone you fancy Vernie.”

 

Vernal cringes every time that name is spoken, “Well I guess this conversation is officially over.” she said as she got off the stool she walks towards the door.

 

“Oh come on, I was just making conversation, what did I do.” he asked while smiling. “Are you pouting Vernie.”

 

Vernal groans at that name vocally this time, “Oh yeah I forgot you hate that cute nickname I gave you.” he laughed.

 

She turns to him with her brows knitted-together, “I’m going on your errand Nix for your special ingredients.” she spat. Which by those words Nix’s bursted out laughing.

 

“Okay I stop but, i’m curious do you have anyone you like seriously.”

 

“I thought her right hand was her girlfriend Nix’s.” Rosa yelled across the dinning floor, Rust laughs at Rosa’s statement in the background, Vernal looks at Rosa smugly.

 

“Pot calling the kettle black aren’t ya.” she said flipping off Rosa with her right hand to emphasizing her point. Rosa rolls her eyes and, continues cleaning the floors, “I thought so.” said Vernal.

 

“Are you sure you two aren’t dating.” said Nix. Vernal looks at him disgusted as well Rosa. Rust laughs even harder.

“That has to be one of the most horrible thing you have ever Nix. Do you ship abuse, the fuck!?” said Rosa. Vernal nods with agreement.

 

Nix’s scoffs, “Oh you two stop being dramatic, Rosa do your job, Rust stop laughing, and Vernie.” he turn to the hunter smiling.

 

“Shut up.”

 

“Vernal.” he laughed, “Get the ingredients please.”

 

Vernal shrugs but, smiles while waving the list, she steps outside the restaurant she shuts the door behind as she turns from the door as she walks down the steps of the restaurant she glances up as she did she sees Brunswick goons in their black SUV, with their window rolled down they smile as Vernal mets eye contact of them, one of them grins at Vernal. 

The one that grinned at her taps on their watch on their wrist, when the man is done taping on his watch he stops grinning and, raises his hand he extends his thumb out and makes a slice motion with his thumb against his throat. In an instant they pull out onto the road and, drove away.

 

Vernal glares at the men who made the message very clear, she knows now that they aren’t playing around, she needs to make Lien fast or else.

 

 

  
  


* * *

 

  
  
  


T he bounty hunter walks through the bustling markets of Mistral she tries to keep her mind off the incident Brunswick’s men but, nothing seems to get it out of her mind as she walks through the market she looks at the stalls for the ingredients on the list she pulls out the list and, read the items on it however as she read the items some of the ingredients baffled the young woman with their strange names.

 

“What the hell is this, this can’t be a word, did he misspell this.” said Vernal narrowing her eyes on the list.

 

“Well look at this, doing some shopping Ms. Cobalt if that is even your last name.”

 

Vernal groans as she recognize the voice, she turns to the woman, “What do you want Bondi.”

 

The detective shrugs, “I want mango that you’re blocking in my way unless you want me to reach around you which isn’t the most ideal situation since I’m pretty determine to arrest you.”

 

Vernal frowns at the pretentious git, she sides step away from the detective so the she can get the mango she wants, after she move the detective grabs couple of mangos and pays the vendor. When she’s done with paying the mangos she turns to Vernal smirking, “Thanks, also don’t destroy the market again Vernal, I’m a little busy to start arresting you today so stay out of trouble if you even can but, I’ll get back to you, eventually.” said Bondi.

 

The woman bumped into Vernal’s shoulder and, walks away from the hunter and, disappears in the crowd.

 

Vernal mockingly copies her voice, _ “I’m a little busy to start arresting you today, I’ll get back to you, eventually.” _ she returns to her normal voice,  _ “Asshole.” _

 

Vernal continues on her errand with the list of ingredients, as she walks she sees some vendors giving her the stink eye as she pasts by each stall, makes sense mostly because of the bus incident that took place. Vernal nods at the vendors awkwardly but, they either roll their eyes, or just flipped her off.

 

“Well good morning to you too.” said Vernal. She smirks smugly at the vendors, she continued on her errand for the ingredients, she finally sees the last ingredient on the list and, walks up to the vendor stall.

Vernal picks up a strange looking fish, her expression scrunches into revulsion. “I sometimes wonder if Nix just sends me on these errands just to convert me into vegetarianism….nah I’m too much of a carnivore to be vegetarian”

 

Vernal pays the vendor affront of her, the vendor speaks, “So is this paying for my damaged stall from the bus incident or for the food.” he asked.

 

Vernal goes ridged from the vendor question, she sighs and, digs into her pockets, “Here.” she takes out the Lien out of her pocket and, hands it to the vendor.

 

“This barely covers the damage but, it’s rare for you to hand out money so I’ll be somewhat satisfied of this amount.” the businessman took the money from Vernal’s person, the hunter groans and, leave the vendor, she says goodbye but, he doesn’t bother of saying goodbye to her.

 

_ “Damn tough crowd today.” she thought. _

 

She walks away from the vendor and, heading out of the markets as she walks out of the market she notice Alloy and, couple of police officers surrounding the area, as she observe the scene of the police officers, she hears police aircrafts over the city.

 

“Are you looking for someone.” asked Vernal. Alloy froze when she hears Vernal voice, she pivots to Vernal.

 

“I’m surprise that you are allowed back here especially since the bus incident.” said Alloy. Vernal shrugs.

 

“Well when your friends with a man who's basically a saint in this city it has some perks.” said Vernal.

 

“I guess so, "Alloy sighed, she picks up her radio off her collar and, speak into radio, “Officer Burg, Status of the terrorists.”

 

A crackle comes out of the radio, “I don’t know how many there are but, me and Amarillo split up while we spotted some it seem they were chasing someone, however Amarillo went ahead of me and went after them, I was about to stop him but, one of the members came around the alley and, attacked me.”

 

“Are you okay Burg.” she worriedly asked.

 

“I’m fine but, I had to use lethal force on the member.” he sighed sadly. “This one was just a teen.”

 

Alloy flinch by Burg’s sadden voice, it was rare to hear the man express emotion, “I’m sorry Burg I don’t know what to say.”

 

“I’m fine Alloy.” he yelled. He sighed heavily, “Sorry for my outburst I’m just.”

 

“No, I understand Burg, have you found Amarillo?”

 

“I’m still trying to find Amarillo it’s just there is so many white fang members up on these rooftops here and, most of them go in and out of the alley’s which is just a death trap, I’m worried that Amarillo got ambush in one of them.”

 

Alloy tightens her grip on the radio her expression is a mixture of worry and, anger, “Okay I’ll ask for backup just don’t get hurt Burg.”

The radio buzz from Alloy’s radio it’s from Burg, “I won’t, I got a question Alloy, I never seen a white fang member in red clothing that their mask are black, are they a specialize white fang members?”

 

Alloy pauses at the man question, “They don’t wear red clothing and, they never wore black mask...Burg where are you?”

 

The man replied, “I’m at 4th near one of the alley’s, do you think that any of our police officers can take them? Do we need huntmen’s?”

 

“Maybe but, we really don’t know what they want in Mistral, I know hate crimes happen here in the city but, rarely and, there are segregated public places but, why now all the sudden. What is attracting all these white fang members. I know the Ghira and, his white fang stop a split group from blowing up Haven academy but, I thought that was handle.” she spoke.

 

“Maybe they split into smaller groups after the fail attempt of Haven.” said Burg

 

Alloyed gritted her teeth at Burg’s comment, “I really hope that’s not the case Burg.”

 

“It’s probably is the case Alloy.” Burg replied. Alloy cringes at Burg’s remark, she rubs her temples out of frustration.

 

“This is bad, we don’t even know what there ideology is.” said Alloy frustrated.

 

“Whatever there ideology is, we need to keep the peace here, most people don’t know much of the white fang incident that happen in the bar and, even if they do, thanks to the mayor’s speech about the incident, he told most of the public that there was only few white fang member’s and, they were just there to stir up some trouble.”

 

Alloy is peeve at Burg’s statement, “I know but, that doesn’t help when some of the these new White Fang members start to recruit some of the faunus here, and the tensions here with the humans and, faunus are getting more and, more intense ever since Haven almost got blown up.”

 

Burg sighs heavily , “I know but, we have to keep this under wraps so the citizens don’t start to get antsy or at worse start targeting the faunus citizens.”

 

“I know Burg it’s just not right in my opinion to keep things out of the public, I’m sending backup to your location, Officer Alloy out.” She sighs after she gets off the radio.

 

“Is everything handled Ms. Alloy.” Vernal asked smugly.

 

“Shut up Vernal.” she scoffed, she picks up her radio again and, calls another officer close by, "Where the hell is backup, LÌqīng status.”

 

“Were being push back by these white fang members deputy, they got serious fire power on there side, I think they have dust.”

 

“Dammit, where is lieutenant Skobeloff.”

 

“He’s on the other side of my location him and, couple of officer’s are trying their best to keep them away from the civilians, whoever needs backup needs to wait.”

 

Alloy tightens her grip on her radio, when her call ends with the officer, she screamed out of frustration, she takes breaths to ease herself of the situation, she takes off her hat and, wipes the sweat off her brow she puts back her hat. She turns at Vernal who is just standing there affront of with her arms cross and, with a big smirk.

 

Alloy groaned knowing what she has to do, “Vernal...can you... can you help me. ”

 

“What did you say, I couldn’t hear you correctly, say that again for me please.”

 

Alloy flinch, the veins on the side of her forehead appeared, she gritted her teeth, “Can you help me Vernal.”

 

Vernal shook her head while chuckling, "You see I could help you but, there’s a little thing I need from you know.” said the hunter, she rubs her fingers making it very clear that she wants Lien from situation.   
  


“Are you serious right now? After everything that Burg has done for you.”

 

“Look Alloy, currently the economy for me isn’t the best right now and, I really need money y’know.” said Vernal.

 

“Your bitch you know that.” Alloy bite.

 

Vernal chuckled, “Well from what your attitude is telling me it’s seems that you got everything under control, I kinda forgot that I need to get these ingredients to Nix’s right now, well see you later.” Vernal walked away from Alloy, as she walks away from the officer, the officer scrambles to find her words.

  
“Okay! Alright, alright I’ll give you some Lien if you help!” Alloyed shouted.

 

Vernal smiled and pivot to Alloy, “Was that so hard to ask Alloy.” she smirked. She pulls out Argios and, Luna while she walks pass Alloy but, she pause and turns to Alloy, “Also can you hold these for me thanks.” said Vernal, She hands over Alloy groceries for the restaurant.

 

Alloy looked at the groceries she’s holding confused and, looks at Vernal who is walking away from her, “Hey what the hell I’m going to do with theses groceries, Vernal!”

 

Vernal walks backwards and, faces Alloy “Send them to Nix or send someone or better yet just stand there and hold them, I’ll come back with Burg and, Amarillo so sit tight.” said Vernal.

 

Alloy flips off the bounty hunter, Vernal notices and, she winks at the officer, “Aww you shouldn’t have Alloy.”

 

“ _ Ooo~  _ I want to punch you in the face so bad.” she seethe.

 

“I believe it’s called police brutality Alloy.” Vernal laughed, she turn forwards and, runs into alley while waving Alloy bye.

 

She walks slowly in the alley, she notices this isn’t the best place for range combat especially knowing that White Fang members can ambush her at any second, the hunter pulls out her chakrams and, charging the dust in them. She slowly turns around the corners of the alleyways and, hoping there’s fire escape ladder around the corner to get up the rooftops.

 

“Come on where is the ladder.” as she said, around the corner she finds the ladder and, Burg just standing still. Vernal’s brow quirk up from the strange scene, “Hey Burg what are you doing?”

 

“Stop!” he shouted. Vernal stops when he yelled, “Don’t come any closer they have this alley trapped.”

 

Vernal shocked by the Burg’s frantic admission, she looks around the alley and, it’s covered in fire dust crystal set up as mines, thin wires cover the alleyway making it impossible to figure out where the main trigger of the maze wires.

 

“How did this happen?” asked Vernal. 

 

“I should be asking why your here but, I think I have a pretty good idea who send you.”, Burg took a deep breath, he finally spoke, “I was looking for Amarillo I heard his voice coming through here but, when I turned around the corner I saw the wires immediately however couple of White fang members jumped me and, pushed me further in the alley and I ended up getting tangle in here, they left me alone luckily but, I don’t know how to get out of here.”

 

“Well at least you’re not dead...yet.” snickered Vernal. Burg looks like a puppet in the tangle of wires that he is in.

 

Burg frowned at Vernal’s comment, “Oh aren’t you a bringer of sunshine.” Burg sighed, “Look Vernal can you find Amarillo he got drag off by those White fang member’s I don’t know what they are going to do to him but, knowing the White Fang it’s not going to be pleasant.”

 

“Why Amarillo isn’t he a faunus? Like I see you as the White Fang’s target of interest since your human but, Amarillo is never going to be part of that group.”

 

“You know you can stand there and, think about all the things the white fang want to do to Amarillo or you go after them and, save him.” spat Burg.

 

Vernal raised her hands defensively, “Okay Burg I get your frustration I was just speculating relax, so where did they take him.”

 

“They took him up on the rooftops but you should be careful, there is White Fang crawling up there, I think they also have traps up there as well.”

 

Vernal cussed under her breath, “Okay well is there any other fire escapes without traps set up.”

 

“If you take a right you might see fire escape but, I’ll let you know White fang surround the fire escapes of the surrounding area, so be careful.”

 

Vernal laughed, “I’m ever careful Burg, especially to some ill-trained faunus teens with a rebellious phase because their parents weren’t _ quote _ too real.”

 

Burg thought for moment of her comment, he stares at Vernal and, spoke, “Well you almost always destroy people’s property and, hardly paying them back on the damages, you don’t care about the rules only if they benefit you, so you might relate to these white fang members alot more than you think though in this case, you're  _ technically _ the good guy which I never thought I be saying this to you but, fuck them up Vernal.”

 

“Thanks? I don’t know if I should take that as a compliment or be offended you got something say Burg, like come on Burg this is kinda on the nose of traps.”

 

Burg frowns at her, “Vernal just get out of here before you trip on these wires and, kill us both or before I decide to choke you out.”

 

“Burg I may wear a choker but, I’m not that kinky plus, I don’t appreciate your tone with me tsk, tsk.”

 

Burg glares at the bounty hunter with total vexation, Vernal smirks and, snap her fingers at Burg and, runs the way that Burg describe for her, when she turns around the corner she spots the fire escape, however it’s surrounded by White Fang members. She stops at the corner before any of the White fang can see her she instantly steps back and, put her back against her wall of the building. 

 

She exacerbate her breath, "You _ gotta be kidding me.” _ , She peeks around the corner and, sees the white fang all over in the fire escape and, some on the bottom of stairs. Vernal looks around the surrounding of the alley, she notice one white fang carrying poach it’s filled a bulk of fire dust cartridges.

 

The hunter smirks, raises her chakrams guns and, aims to the bulk, she fires her gun, her laser hits the bulk. The white fang member looks down at his poach and, its starts to spark out of pouch like fireworks. 

The faunus man screams and, tries to get the poach off him. 

The surrounding faunus rush to the man side, as they hurriedly to the man’s side, Vernal sneaked past them, she climbs up the ladder to the fire escape, she quickly tries to get out of sight of the white fang members below her however one of them notice her climbing up the stairs of the fire escape.

 

“Up there!” the faunus pointed, “A human!”, some of the faunus’s turn to the hunter glaring at her.

 

“Ah crap.” as she said that she quickly tries to climb up the metal stairs, about four faunus shoot at her as she sprints up the stairs dodging bullets left and, right. As they shoot her they ended up destroy the stairs of the fire escape and it starts to break apart, She finally reaches the top of stairs without getting shot. When she’s on top of the of the building from the stairs the white fang member’s ran out of bullets..

 

“HA! Your aim suck, like your aim for equality, eat it!” yelled Vernal. The member’s looked at her irritated for what she had said, they quickly reload there weapons and, resume shooting at the smug hunter. She ducks in time before the bullets can reached, she dropped on her back onto the ground.

 

“Okay, maybe I shouldn't shoot off my mouth when they still have there weapons on their person.” said Vernal. She crawls away from the edge of the building and, starts her search for the newly recruited police officer, she glances over her shoulder trying to see the landscape of the expansive rooftops, she hears a bullet come past her ear. “ What the! Okay this is a legit a death trap, he could literally be anywhere, maybe I shouldn’t have somewhat wring Alloy for Lien for this job.”

 

“ILIA!” shouted a man.

 

Vernal attention attracted to the loud voice, she body crawls across the rooftop to the other side of the roof, when she finally reaches the end of the side, she peeks over the ridge of the building, she’s the spectacle below her.

 

“Ilia come out now! We got your little associate here!” The faunus in the red mask drags a man behind him, the cuffed man has a black bag over his head, the man in the red mask pulls out the bag off from the man.

 

“Amarillo.” whispered Vernal, The hunter takes a closer look of the young officer, one of Amarillo’s dog-like ears is cut off, his face has extreme swelling, he has two black eyes, and has a deep gash on his left eyebrow. Vernal grimace at the sight of Amarillo she tightly squeeze her chakrams, she raises her guns at the red masked figured. However she pulls back her guns she knows she can’t just shoot the man in the red mask if she did all of his subordinates with him would pay attention to her and, she be screwed.

 

“Come on Ilia, we’ve been through this before, you better get out of your shadows before we cut off the other ear!” yelled the faunus.

 

There is nothing but, silence in the surrounding area, only the hard winds can be heard through the rooftops.

 

The faunus man nods nonchalantly, he pulls out his knife out of his sheathe from his side, he inspects his knife, he glances over Amarillo. He puts his knife near Amarillo remaining ear, he slowly cuts the very sensitive ear of the officer faunus, Amarillo screams from the slowly agonizing affliction of his ear.

 

Vernal roll her eyes at the sight, she ready’s her chakrams at terrorist head as she aims and, instantly puts her finger on the trigger of Agrios before she can fire a voice cry out of one of the buildings.

 

“Stop it! Just stop it!, I’ll come out just stop hurting people!” a girl’s voice whine out.

 

Vernal pays attention to the other side of the disturbing scene, she sees a moving shadow-like figure coming out of the shadows of the tall buildings, she tries to take a closer look of the strange figure as the figure comes out, the figure shaped colors and, Vernal recognizes the girl who she fought the other day.

 

The late teen comes out of the shadow showing herself to the other white fang member’s. Tears flood her eyes as the auburn haired girl sees the tormented man.

 

“What are you doing Ilia! Get away from here!” yelled Amarillo.

 

However the girl just stood there shaking her head, The red masked man kicks away the officer, Amarillo grunts painfully when he hits his battered face into the pavement.

 

Ilia’s eyes flash a deep red, she glares at the man in the red mask, the man just stood still looking unfazed by the anger from the girl, “So you finally come out from hiding in the shadows Sister Ilia.” the man nods to his grunts, “Brother’s, Sister’s seize her.” His subordinates nod and, cuffed the girl quickly. 

 

The captain smiled he turned to a low ranking member he called out too, “You, call Lieutenant Phthalo he’ll know what to do with this traitor.”

 

“Yes Captain.” a low ranking member spoke. The captain turned from his subordinate to Ilia whose being cuffed by other members, he raised his hand and, wiggling his index finger to instruct his members to bring Ilia over, they nod and push Ilia forward to the Captain, when she’s close enough to the Captain one of the members who drag her kicked her in the back of the knee, she buckle down to the rooftop.

 

The captain bends his knee and, kneels across of Ilia, he stares her down, she turns away from the man, he grabs her face making her face him, “Do you know how many of our Brother’s and, Sister’s have been arrested, how many sacrifice to get you, do you have any idea Sister Ilia um.” he glared into Ilia’s eyes.

 

“Do you know how many people you hurt, who you killed who were faunus.” Spat Ilia. The man mouth showed his teeth.

 

“They were traitors like you Sister Ilia, that’s what happens to traitors!” he yelled he tighten his grip of her jaw. “They signed their fate when they let you inside their home’s and, when Lieutenant Phthalo is called over here, he’ll decide what to do to you.”

 

“I thought Corsac would decide that.”

 

“High Leader Corsac doesn’t want to be lead astray from his main goal Ilia, however he did made a decree about you, either brought in alive or mortally wounded and, depending what our Lieutenant decides he might let you walk pain free.”

 

Ilia stares into his eyes with absolutely rage the man smirks at the girl’s displeasure however their glares went to a halt when the young faunus comes back with a scroll in hand.

 

“Lieutenant Phthalo is on cam, he wants to see her.” The captain nods, he turns and, let’s go of Ilia’s harshly, he turns her body to the scroll that the young member was holding, the member aims the scroll to Ilia, a voice comes out of the scroll.

 

“So there she is the girl herself, well a young woman now considering what’s you’ve been through Sister Ilia.” 

 

Vernal couldn’t make out who was on the scroll but, it was too far to even hear from that distance however she had more important objective on her sight Amarillo. 

 

She peeks over the ridge of the building and, tries to see if there is anything to distract terrorists or have plentiful hiding spots for her to be able to confuse her enemies while she attempts to save Amarillo while looking around she sees a crane near a construction site and, it’s hook is just overhead where all the white fang are, if she can just shoot the hook the roof will collapse underneath them, thankfully for the red masked captain he shoved Amarillo far enough that the roof won’t bring him down along with the terrorists.

 

The Hunter smirked she couches away from the ridge and, jumping down from the roofs as she tries to get out of sight of the terrorists below her, she jumps over roof to rooftop until she finally makes it down on the bottom of where all the terrorist are group. 

 

She couches towards a wall blocking the terrorist view of the hunter, she slowly couches to one side of the wall, she peeks around the wall and spots Amarillo whose face down on the ground she wonders if he is even conscious.

 

She picks up a handful of pebbles off the ground and to throw at Amarillo, she throws one and, he isn’t responsive, Vernal sighs and, throws another one he still didn't react.

 

Vernal is fuming by the ears, “Come on he can’t be dead is he?”, Vernal curiously throws a bigger pebble though it might as well be a rock, she chucks it at Amarillo it hits him in the shoulder, he groans painfully.

 

“What the fu-” he looks where Vernal who is still behind a wall. “Vernal? What are you-”. Vernal shushed him looking at him mad she mouth, “Are you half conscious or are you that retard we are literally surrounded by terrorist, now shut the fuck up!”

 

The officer shut his mouth. Vernal groans quietly she place her hand on her face while shaking her head, she peeks through her fingers and, glances up where the hook is, she smiles she aims until he overhears what the terrorist talking are about. She notices the man on the phone he looks like the man she seen from the bar the other night.

 

“What should we do with her Lieutenant Phthalo?” the captain asked. The lieutenant ponders on the scroll he finally speaks when he made his decision.

 

“Sister Ilia is known for her agility and combative abilities, I say tighten the cuffs on her wrist so she wouldn’t slip out of them and, for her legs...break em so she doesn’t run away again.” the Jackal said.

 

Ilia eyes widen of what he had suggest or really what he ordered, she tries to scrim out of her cuffs however she gets butted in the month by the butt of the rifle she’s stunned for a moment however she quickly recovers and, her whole body turns red by the assault from the member, the member is alarm by her sudden color change and, they aim their rifle at the girl.

 

“Private put down that rifle now!” yelled the captain. The member turns their superior startled but, they nod and, return to their normal state they grab the once spy arm keeping her in place. Ilia looks at the faunus who hit her she gives them a dirty look and, spits blood on their boots.

 

Pthalo rubs his brows together frustrated, “Great we got some members who are a little jumpy.” he sighs and, stops rubbing his brows and, looks at the rest of his subordinates, “I’ll see you all again at our headquarters, once she’s brought in we are leaving this  _ disgusting _ city, Lieutenant Phthalo out.” He ends the call.

 

The captain hands over the scroll over to the man who gave him it, he turns to the faunus who have a hold of Ilia. “You know what to do.” he crossed his arms.

 

The members nod one of them tighten the cuffs on Ilia’s cuffs to the point it dug into her skin, the girl grunts from the pain, the other pulls one of her legs roughly to the point she fell face first into the pavement, the surrounding faunus snickered at the action. 

Ilia growls and, tries to get out her cuffs however the harder she tries to the cuffs dig deeper into her skin creating a deep gash on both her wrists they bleed.

 

“Let’s hurry this up just break her legs and, be done with it.” the terrorist gestured.

 

“Says the one who nearly pissed themselves for this one changing colors.” the male laughed.

 

The girl faunus mouth scowled, “Just break her legs or I do.” she crossed her arms.

 

“Yes my liege.” the man chuckled. He holds her leg before she can kick the man, he smashed his foot on Ilia’s other leg she yelped from the shooting pain upon her nerves of her leg.

Vernal sees the view of the girl getting beaten up by the terrorist she be lying if she didn’t enjoy seeing the girl getting beaten up while she preferred that she be the one beating up the girl who ruined her plans to repay Brunswick though it wasn’t the time to get work up by the past now she needs to get Amarillo to safety however if she step even one step outside the shield that was the wall blocking the sight from the white fang they would immediately shoot at her and, she be out of the open for them but, she knows what to do even though it would just add on the _ long  _ list property damage onto her name.

 

She sighs and, aims at the hook she charges up Arigos and, readying it to fire at the hook. “I hate my life.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a treat to write btw especially the interactions.
> 
> Comment or send kudos they be appreciated.


	6. The night that begun

Boom.

****

That’s all that was heard on top of the windy rooftops, the white fang members look around their surrounding of where the sound came from, however one of the member's stop looking when they heard rope tearing.

****

The terrorist look up from above them, and see the hook from the crane ripping it’s cord as it snaps off string by string of cord, they tried to warn the rest of the members.

****

“Get off-” but it was for too late the gigantic hook broke from the rope holding it fell on the roof.

****

The roof gave in along with the terrorists that fell under. Dust and, debris filled the air of the rooftop, Vernal picks up Amarillo carrying him over near the hole that Vernal made, they coughs as the dust surrounds them. As the dust clears they both see the rumble below them.

****

Vernal excitedly chuckled “HA! Did you see that Amarillo I just took out an entire squad of White fang members with one shot!” she excitedly hitting the injured man on the shoulder repeatedly.

****

The faunus policeman winced from Vernal’s punches on his shoulder “OW! Yes, yes I know you did, I saw now stop hitting me!”

****

Vernal hearty laughs at the rubble below her “Well I guess my job here is done, so let’s go Amarillo, looking at you is painful enough to look at.”

****

“It feels as painful as it looks just to let you know lunatic.” he groans. He looks around rooftop, as he searches around his surrounding he becomes frantic.

****

Vernal looks at Amarillo curiously, “Hey are you alright?”

****

“What happen to the girl?”

****

Her brow curled up, “Girl? Oh you mean the one they were distracted with, eh she’s probably down there with the others.”

****

As she finish her sentence, Amarillo pushes away from Vernal, and tries to climb down the rubble slowly.

****

“What are you doing!? You can barely walk.” said Vernal but, Amarillo ignores her, “Hey! Listen to me your not in good shape to do anything at the moment genius so I suggest that you need to heal and, rest okay.”

****

Amarillo slaps her hand but, as he did that he slipped down the rubble and, tumbles to the bottom. He groans in pain.

****

“I told you dumbass, geez it’s your fault y’know that your down there.” she places her hand on her hip.

****

Amarillo tries to get up, he wobbles as he stands but, he falls on his knee and, hisses under his breath.

****

“Okay now this is just sad, come on Amarillo get up and, let’s get out of here, there is still some white fang member’s out up these rooftops and, they're probably going to check out this place any second if the police aren’t in the way and, I don’t want to fight a battle I can’t win, so get out from there, climb up here and, stop being an ridiculously unwise Amarillo, she’s probably dead like the rest of them.”

****

“SHUT UP!” yelled Amarillo. He stands and, grabs a chunk of debris and, chucks it at Vernal’s direction, he misses entirely to hit at Vernal and, instead hits at the floor that the bounty hunter is currently standing on.

****

Vernal looks at him unimpressed, “Really? My grandma would throw better than you, if I knew who she was.”

****

“Shut up!, I bet you only came to save me because there was some Lien involve, congratulations you found me, now go away if your not going to be useful!”

****

“You want me to go down there with possible alive terrorist, with destroyed infrastructure that I cause, um how about, a no and, have fun with that and, by the way, that’s not how you say thank you Vernal, for saving my life, you took out of your time to come and, rescue me, you sure are selfless.”

****

“Tell me, my rescuer are getting paid for saving me, or not uh?!” yelled Amarillo

****

Vernal rolled her eyes, “Semantics, anyways that’s your problem whatever you're doing down there, I’ll see you later when I get detain for something else.” she waved her hand.

****

Amarillo growls he bends down and, grabs more rubble to throw at the bounty hunter. He misses couple times however the last debris he thrown was at her head. Amarillo flinches at the sound of the rubble hitting Vernal’s head.

****

“Oh shit! Are you okay!?” he yelled worried.

****

Vernal is shocked for a moment, she touches of the side of her head when she pulls her hand away from her head, she sees blood on her hand. Her expression turns to shock to furious within seconds.

****

“You thrown a rock at my head?, You thrown a rock at my head.  **You thrown a rock at my head!** You assaulted me! After I saved your moronic self, you know what your lucky that I don’t shoot down the floor you are currently on right now, because what I want to bury you under it! But, your lucky oh, oh, oh, you're lucky cause there is a thing that is holding me back, it’s called LAW that is protecting your ungrateful ass, I should’ve stayed in the forest cause I know there is more civility there than, there is here in this forsaking city!”, she yelled.

****

“Woah, woah, woah, calm down Vernal, I didn’t mean to-”

****

“ **Nope!** I don’t want to hear it, because that would be excuses, so I’m putting my foot down, so you can died down there with your wounds, or with possible alive white fang member down below!” Fumed Vernal.

****

As she slammed her foot on the roof, a crack was heard and, immediately the crack widen on the floor Vernal was standing on. She look down to her feet and, saw the crack forming below her. “Uh oh.” after she said that, the floor gave in and, she fell under the roof and, landed onto the floor below.

****

Dust surround the floor, and Amarillo coughs and, waves his hands to get the dust out of his vision. He walks towards where Vernal fall as the dust clears he sees Vernal under the floor she was once on and, she crosses her arms with a sour face.

****

“Are you alright Vernal?”

****

“No.” She replied.

****

“Can you get out of the rubble by yourself?” He asked.

****

“Yes.” She replied.

****

“Vernal can you look at me, can you even see me?” Asked Amarillo.

****

Vernal avoids eye contact with him with her head turned.

****

“I guess you can.” he laughed.

****

Vernal frown deepens which doesn’t help her from her pouting like a child.

****

“Can you stop pouting and, help me.”

****

“You can’t tell me what to do.” said Vernal.

****

“You can’t get out of the rubble can you.” said Amarillo

****

Vernal is silent still avoiding eye contact.

****

“I thought so, whelp, I guess I help you out of the rubble.”

****

He bends down and, reaches for Vernal’s hand however she slap his hand away.

****

“I got it, I got it,  **I got it** .” yelled Vernal.

****

Vernal slowly moves the rubble off herself bit by bit and, finally gets all the debris off herself after she done, she dusts herself off.

****

Amarillo chuckles a little at the bounty hunter’s pouting, suddenly his attention snaps away from Vernal when he hears rubble shifting. He looks towards the direction of where the noise is coming from, there is a faint scream under the debris, the faunus man limbs towards the debris he scours the remains.

****

“Hey what are you doing! You know that might be a white fang member under there right dummy.”

****

“No it isn’t, I recognize that voice, are you going to help me or are you going to stand there and, pout.”

****

Vernal tsked at the policeman, she crosses her arms while shaking her head. As Amarillo plucks the rubble out of the pile of the remains, a hand shoots out the debris. Amarillo yelped at the sudden hand that pop out of the rubble, he falls on his back by the disturbing scene.

****

Vernal swiftly pulls out her chakrams and, points them at the individual in question, the hand moves erratically and, another hand pops out, seemly from the same person under the remains. The hands pushes the rubble off, as the remains cascades down the hill of wreckage, a head pops out of it.

****

Vernal is shocked at the person who comes out, "How are you still alive!?” yelled Vernal.

****

The chameleon teen pushes herself out of the rubble, she crawls herself off the remains of the roof on top of her, she finally gets out of the wreckage and, she wobbles as she stands.

****

Cuts, bruises cover the girl, she scans her surrounding and, looks upon Amarillo. “Amarillo? Is that you?” the girl rasped.

****

Amarillo nods at the girl, as he stands up, he flinches from the pain that was inflicted on him by the terrorists but, he persisted through the pain, he raises his hand towards the faunus teen.

****

However as he reached for the girl, she falls on top of him he takes a couple steps back to retain his balance, he holds her in place, he glances over at Vernal.

****

“Vernal help me!”

****

Vernal remain apathetic to the scene “Why?”

****

“Cause she’s injured.”

****

“Okay so?” the bounty hunter replied nonchalantly.

****

“Vernal just help me!” yelled amarillo he tries to carry Ilia but, he is having trouble carrying her and, himself.

****

“Look Amarillo from my perspective or how these once alive white fang members see, is that you helped this girl and, apparently she is the one who put you in this mess, that she’s a former terrorist who is being hunted by other terrorist organization so if you ask me, just let these psychos take her, she ain’t worth the time or energy or really your life.”

****

Amarillo is straining from the pain that was inflicted on him, he weakly speaks “Vernal, she helped me and, my family and, other faunus when things got out of hand with the humans, she’s always helping the downtrodden in our faunus community, I can’t just leave her here to died or to get capture by the white fang or the police.”

****

Vernal looks at the rookie officer unimpressed by his plead “Okay, was that  _ supposed _ to make me sympathetic to her, like what are trying to do Amarillo and, aren’t you a police officer .”

****

Amarillo scowls at the bounty hunter’s unempathetic response however he keeps his cool, “Look Vernal, she helped a lot of faunus when they were out of luck or were being harassed by other humans or worse, please Vernal just help me to get her somewhere safe.”

****

Vernal wasn’t really buying any of Amarillo crap about this girl however she remembers when she almost fall off the rooftop the girl did save her and, knowing herself she always help those who helped her back that’s how she became Raven’s right hand woman.

****

She sighs, "Fine I’ll help you.”

****

“Thank you Vernal now let’s-” before the faunus could finish his sentence Vernal interrupted him.

****

She wiggle her index finger to the officer “Nuh uh, uh, before you do all that thanking me for helping you out, how about you help me out, it’s only fair Amarillo.” said Vernal

****

Amarillo scoffs at Vernal’s proposal and, is shock by her sudden change of demeanor he wasn’t aware that Vernal could do something along the lines of blackmailing if he read that right, though even him and, everyone else don’t know that Vernal herself was once a bandit, “Are you seriously blackmailing me?, You know that’s illegal to blackmail the officer of the law.”

****

Vernal chuckled at Amarillo’s shocked response, when she was done chuckling she wipes away a tear off her eye and, returns to her usual state “Amarillo you should know that it’s illegal and, a capital punishment I heard for keeping an known terrorist, so tell me which is worse.” said Vernal.

****

Amarillo angered at Vernal’s callous statement, however he bites his tongue, “I’ll put in my report that the terrorists were the ones who brought down roof and, you saved me from them through your Samaritan duty as citizen and, as a bounty hunter that, you’ll get a reward for recognition, how do you like that.”

****

“Um that sounds good okay, guess that a deal.” she extends her hand towards the officer however he doesn’t shake but, just smirks at her, she is perplex by the man’s unusual smile.

****

“However Vernal, I’ll only do that if you let her live and, hide with you until everything is calm down with white fang activity.”

****

Vernal scoffs at Amarillo’s own proposition, “Um hello I’m the one blackmailing you this isn’t how this works Amarillo.” she snide.

****

“Ah but, you see I have the upper hand, do you know of a man name Brunswick, I heard he was one of the right hand man to one of the four beast in Mistral, I think the boss you owe money too is name Hei’an Wan, the black turtle.”

****

“You know you would think turtles would be cute but, they are just asshole kinda like cats y’know.” she laughed nervously.

****

Amarillo expression is blank, “I might be a rookie but, I know when someone really mess up, you  _ really  _ messed up for going to an loan shark not, just any scummy loan shark but, the most powerful loan shark so Vernal, were you really that desperate uh.”

****

Vernal chuckled, “I guess so.” Vernal knows she can’t tell Amarillo about the gambling ring that cause all this and, even if she did told police she will be forever hunted down by the mafia and, they will kill her and, her new family and, not the fast way, she sighs, “Okay I’ll help her but, you better make sure not a one white fang member be coming on the doorstep at Nix’s to wreck the place.”

****

“Of course, now help me.” he gestured at Ilia. Vernal groans and, walks towards the officer and,

him carry the late teen.

 

 

****

* * *

 

 

 

****

It’s been twelve hours that the white fang member occupied the block some of them were brought into custody however most of them left the area when reinforcement arrived, the white fang members under the rooftop most lived from the ordeal when officers proceeded pulling them out of the rubble and, then arresting them, most were too weak to resist the arrest. The officers been occupying the block through the night to find any white fang members. Alloy talks to the other officer’s for a status, while Skobeloff looks at a map of the city grid trying to pinpoint white fang movements are in the entire block.

****

When Alloy is finished talking to the other officers, she slog to her vehicle burying her hands into her face she weeps softly however it was cut short when Skobeloff walked towards the woman handing her a cup of coffee.

****

“Here, a cup of joe helps in this situation better than my vice, cigs.” said Skobeloff.

****

Alloy smiled and, takes the cup and, slowly sips her coffee, “Thank you lieutenant.”

****

Skobeloff nods at Alloy, he rubs behind his neck cracking his neck from the tension.

****

“Lieutenant I’m scared, I’m scared for Burg, and Amarillo.” said Alloy looking down.

****

Skobeloff looks at Alloy expressionless, he sighs, “Alloy, were police officers we know what we signed up for however I can say for certain that Burg and, Amarillo will be alright, their tough.”

****

“I know but, it still worries me still, I known burg since the academy and, I introduce Amarillo into the force and, shown him the ropes for weeks.” said Alloy.

****

As they stood there in silence, a police officer shouts, “It’s Officer Burg and, Amarillo their okay!”

****

Suddenly Alloy got out of the car, the atmosphere immediately turned around “Burg and, Amarillo are okay!” she runs from out her car while dropping the coffee cup.

****

Alloy looked for Amarillo and, Burg, she sees them coming out of the alleyways, Burg helps Amarillo to keep him balance and, walking. Alloy teared up and, runs towards them and, hugs tightly, “I’m so glad you guys got out of there alive!” yelled Alloy.

****

Amarillo groans in pain, “Ow, ow, ow that hurts.”

****

Alloy let’s go of the injured officer “I’m sorry! Wait? What the hell happen to your face!?”

****

“Long story.” said Amarillo.”

****

Burg chuckles, “I’m glad you send help, even if the help was Vernal though we got out of alive.”

****

“Thank the gods, hey? Where is Vernal?” asked Alloy.

****

“She went back home after she help Burg out of that trap.”

****

“Yeah let’s not talk about that, I thought I was actually going to died couple times when she keep fumbling the wires.” said Burg.

****

“I see, well I guess I own her for saving you guys.”

****

“We all own her, considering.” said Burg.

****

As the officers were talking they were interrupted by Skobeloff walking towards them.

****

“You all can thank her later, we still need to find anymore white fang members on this street or the remaining members that .”

****

“Right.” all the officers replied.

 

 

****

 

* * *

 

 

 

****

Vernal walks through the night in the alleyways of Mistral which isn’t really safe though having white fang members running all over the city doesn’t make it any better.

****

“I swear if I get mug in one of these alleys I’m break some bones, and bones will break.” Vernal thought to herself, as she trout's through the alleyways she looks over her shoulder to see the faunus girl she been piggy backing for couple hours.

****

“At least your not heavy but, just looking at your face pisses me off though.” she sighs. “Why did I agree to this, wait I know I got blackmailed by an unexpectedly observant rookie cop, why the hell didn’t I catch that, probably the stress of being threatened by mafia members.” Vernal sighs, “Sometimes I think living as a bandit wasn’t as complicated as living inside a city or a place with law of the matter.”

****

As the bounty hunter slowly approached her home, she realize she couldn’t just go in the front door while carrying an unconscious girl on her back filled with customers, that Nix’s doesn’t really approve of previous white fang members at his establishment mostly because of their affiliation to the terrorist organization, that most people didn’t like Nix himself for being a successful chef while being faunus at that but, the most important rule that he highly dislike was that any of his employees who lived under his roof/restaurant brought someone who wasn’t employee and, letting them live in his home, he absolutely hates that.

****

“What I’m going to do with her, Nix’s is such a hardass on his rules, I hope Amarillo owns me big time, I can’t go into the front so maybe…” 

****

Vernal throws Ilia over the fence to the backyard, the girl is still unconscious though she may feel that when she wakes up. Vernal climbs over the fence and, drops down onto Ilia. Now she is definitely going feel that when she wakes up.

****

“Opps, well I guess you were an adequate landing pad, okay let me just pick you up.”

****

Vernal picks up the unconscious girl and, walks towards the balcony, she tries to makes sure that no one in the recognize her inside the restaurant especially Nix, anyone she knows who works for Nix. She creeps towards the window that leads up to the second floor. Lucky the window is open so she was able to get inside the restaurant without any commotion.

****

Vernal treads up the stairs with Ilia on her back, she sees the door to her room she silently walks down the hallway she opens the door to her room and, sets ilia on the floor in her room. She peeks out of her room looking both ways down the hallway when everything is clear she closes her door and, lock it. She turns her back onto the door and, puff out air from herself.

****

“Why was that so stressful, why do I get myself into these situations.” said Vernal. She looks around her room and, chuckles to herself.

****

“Raven I think you were right about me, when I’m by myself I have no direction and, apparently no responsibility, it’s not that I destroy things on purpose, it’s just that, it’s all that I’ve ever known and, being bandit doesn’t help.” she sighs. “Alright rainbow dash, let’s put you somewhere that inconspicuous.”

****

She looks around her room and, there isn’t a lot of hiding spaces to put the girl in that Vernal doesn’t really have a lot stuff anyway the only thing that would be a hiding place would be her closet.

****

“Well I guess that’s a hiding place.”

****

Vernal picks up the girl and, throws her into the closet and, closes the closet door, she dusts off her hands and, turns away from the closet and, jumps onto her bed while landing on her back onto the bed, she looks up to her ceiling.

****

“This day was excessively long, almost got blown up, fighting white fang members, jumping onto ledges to get away from said members, getting shot at, running away again, saving cops, killing a bunch of white fang members, getting hit by a rock, fall into a pit of rumble, disarming explosives, carrying an unconscious girl through shady alleyways, and sneaking inside my own home, this day suck though I guess it’s alright hopefully when I get paid it’s hopefully enough to cover for the week, Tsk what I’m talking about it’s not going to be enough, I have to rob a bank to get that amount of Lien.”

****

However She puts her thoughts in the backdrop of her mind and, hopefully now she can sleep, strangely she actually starts to feel tired, it would excite her considering of all the thing that have this past 6 months, however she’s too tired to be excited or to be thinking, she slowly let’s her eyes droop and, finally like a wave, sleep washes over her and, contently sleeps soundly throughout the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry took awhile personal things got in the way.  
> however thanks for thoese staying and, reading this fanfic.  
> comment, send kudos.
> 
> Also no I'm not apologizing about that MLP reference.


	7. Proposal

“Morning came as fast as the night came with horde of terrorist, yes I know weird analogy but, bare with me, okay Why I’m talking to myself.” thought Vernal.

 

The well rested bounty turned her head to the window, to her surprise she didn’t have any nightmares last night as she slept, which for the first time in months, in the former bandit’s eyes was a bonus.

 

She sighs and, gets up off her bed, she stretched her limbs outwards and, yawns. Her attention is turned when she hears a knock on her door.

 

“Come in.” said Vernal.

 

When the door open she was greeted with Nix, smiling?, now that was rare unless you were name Cole. “Um hello, where is the real Nix?, are you the twin that Nix’s didn’t told me about or are you a doppelganger that killed him and, buried him somewhere in the garden in the back.”

 

“No my moronic friend, I’m happy of what you did last night.”

 

Vernal looked at Nix’s confused, “Um what did I do exactly?”

 

“Oh you're being modest that’s a first, well you saved Burg and, Amarillo from the white fang without asking for Lien.” Nix’s crossed his arms proud.

 

Vernal chuckled at Nix’s response, she didn’t say it out loud but, she thought to herself, “Wait is Alloy not going to give me my Lien, though if I’m honest, I’m not really surprise that woman lives on ramen noodle cups.”

 

“Earth to Vernal, Good I got your attention well me and, everyone in the restaurant are going to throw you a big congrats for not being selfish, I wanted to do it today however the anniversary of the restaurant is coming up in fours day and, maybe on the anniversary I’ll make something special for you for your heroics, I’m glad you're changing up your ways, and becoming an actual sympathetic human being for once.”

 

Vernal looks at Nix’s eyes that are beaming with joy, she couldn’t say that she asked Alloy for Lien for looking for Amarillo and, Burg, “Well you know, that’s what good people do or whatever.” she smiled awkwardly.

 

“ _ Dammit, what’s wrong with me?! Usually I keep my cool, hopefully he takes the bait.” she thought to herself. _

 

However Nix’s didn’t seem to catch her tone, he seems more busy of being proud of her for being a good Samaritan, though Vernal knew she wasn’t a good Samaritan or for that matter a good person.

 

“Alright, alright I’ll stop gushing I’m not normally like this but, I think your changing your destructive ways which makes me proud, well breakfast is down and, I made your favorite. Pancakes and, eggs, so come down soon while their hot.” as Nix’s finish his gushing he hums to himself, Vernal waves goodbye to the beta faunus, as he leaves he closes the door and, continues to hum.

 

Vernal takes a big breath of relief from the gleeful faunus man when he leaves her room, she scratches the back of her neck, she peers over to her closet hoping that the girl is still knocked out or really hoping that she left the restaurant so she didn’t have to deal with her, however life doesn’t work that way, she sighs and walks towards her closet and, locks the closet door.

 

“Hopefully she doesn’t break my closet door once I come up here again.” the woman thought to herself.

 

After she leaves her room,she heads out to the hallway, she turns around to her door and, locks it with her key, she turns away from her door and, heads down the stairs, as she goes down she sees Nix’s employees setting up tables for the restaurant, Rosa cleaning the dishes and, Rust working the bars.

 

A loud voice come across the dining area “Vernal, over here your food!”

 

Vernal looks at Nix’s waving and, sees Cole scarfing down his pancakes, Nix’s flicks his index finger across his son’s forehead.

 

“Ow! What was that for?!” yelled Cole.

 

Nix’s waved a spatula near Cole’s face and, Nix’s squinting at him, “Don’t eat like a pig, your not an animal son.”

 

The boy scoff, “Well some people think I’m an animal anyways so why should I care.”

 

“Well son, those people are ignorant, and you shouldn’t let them dictate your worth or even have them tell you what to do.”

 

“I know but, people see me either as a faunus or human, so what am I dad?” asked Cole.

 

“You’re Cole, and you are my son and, your mother she may have been human but, she wouldn’t let no faunus or human tease or harass you about it, and if anyone is giving you a hard time of you being half human you always have me to come to about that stuff okay, So Cole don’t let people push around of who you are, because who you are is what makes you special.”

 

“Thanks dad.”

 

“Or you can tell me where they live and, destroy their house accidentally of course.” she remarked. Cole chuckled at Vernal’s comment.

 

Nix’s frowns at Cole which promptly stop him laughing at the Vernal’s remark, Cole looks away from his father and, continues to eat normally while Cole eats Nix looks at Vernal frowning, the bounty hunter raises her hands in defense though she smiles.

 

“Anyway, you should come down, before your food gets cold.”

 

“Alright dad, I’m coming, I’m coming.”

 

“Ah, being a sarcastic this early in the morning, I guess you don’t want some food uh.” Nix’s smiled

 

Vernal chuckled and, rolled her eyes, she sit next to Cole, she looks at the boy however her eyes wander to his hands and, sees bandages covering his both his hands.

 

“Hey are you alright kid?” asked Vernal pointing at his hands.

 

“Um, oh, yes I was practicing all day yesterday.” smiled Cole showing his hands to Vernal.

 

“So still trying to master the charkams uh, you want some pointers.”

 

Cole fins perk up as he heard Vernal’s giving him advice. He immediately stands up and, looking at Vernal excitedly, “Yeah tell me” he yelled.

 

“Alright, alright, I’ll tell you.” chuckled Vernal.

 

Cole pumped his arm, “Yes!”

 

“After I eat.” Vernal laughed while she digs into her breakfast.

 

Cole groans and, slouches into the stool he sat on.

 

“Don’t be so dramatic Cole, you’ll eventually get pointers till Vernal pays off her debt.” said Rust.

 

“That be impossible Rust.” quipped back Cole.

 

Rosa laughs inside the kitchen while pointing at Vernal.

 

“Hey Rosa don’t you have somewhere else to be like, in the bathroom where all the shit goes.”

 

“Haha, you got called out by a six year old.” squeaked annoly as the waitress washes the plates.

 

Nix’s chuckles between the two the woman,“Okay stop teasing Vernal Rosa, she did good this time.”

 

Rosa squints at Nix “What do you mean?”

 

“I mean she didn’t ask for Lien when she helped the officers.”

 

Rosa stopped cleaning the dishes and, looked at Nix’s shocked and, looked at Vernal then turned to Nix’s again. “No way, she doesn’t do nice things for people without asking people to paid her, and even that her way of getting said thing done is schlock.”

 

“HEY!”

 

“Oh shut up you know it’s true.” quipped Rosa

 

Rust coughed to have everyone attention to him at the bar, he looks at Vernal, “Actually I got a question for Vernal, when did you come back to the restaurant? I didn’t see you come in did you come inside the restaurant late?”

 

“Actually that’s a good question what time did you come back?” asked Nix’s

 

Vernal stops eating her food, and peeks up to Nix and, his employees, she thought to herself of how she was going to explain of what happened last night, “Ahem, I came around 3:35 AM and, went straight to bed.”

 

“Interestingly convenient.” said Rust with his eyebrows curled.

 

Vernal thought to herself “Shit, as much as I like Rust he’s more noisy than Rosa and, when he suspects things he’ll say in his own  _ uniquely _ selective words from great o’ Rust himself, ‘I can feel it, it’s in my _ Gut Feelings.’ _ I bet he’s goin say that to me.”

 

“I can feel it, It’s in my gut feelings.” said the Rust the weasel faunus rubs his belly.

 

“Knew it.” she thought to herself.

 

“Alright, alright, guys let’s not bring accusations on poor Vernie here, I know that it sounds unlike her, however I believe what Alloy, Burg, and Amarillo said about her actions in the middle of the night, to which even I was surprise about it but, since most of them were very detail about her actions and, had consistency of their stories, I believe in them, that Alloy came by in the middle of the night to drop the groceries for the anniversary that was nice of her doing your job it’s a little strange mostly because you two don’t really like each other though it probably was a scratch on one another’s back mostly because of you saving Amarillo and, Burg uh Vernal. Anyway I won’t keep you, eat up girl.” said Nix smiling.

 

Vernal nods at Nix and, eats her food however she still thinks about the girl she she took in because of Amarillo say so or really the blackmail he has on her, She doesn’t know if she’s relieve that a someone knows about her situation however, the thought of the mafia knowing that Amarillo knows that she owns Lien them, they will immediately go after the people in the restaurant. She sighs and, gazes out of nowhere peculiar.

 

However everyone continues on their duties around the restaurant until a loud knock on the door. Nix’s fins perk up.

 

Rosa groans,“Okay people should know by now we don’t open this early.”

 

“Vernal can you get that?” asked Nix.

 

Vernal snaps out of her blank stare, “Uh, yeah I’ll get that.” She gets up from her stool and, walks towards the door, as she opens it she sees Amarillo.

 

“This guy has the nerve.” she thought however she pulls out of her thoughts and, speaks to him. “What brings you here Officer Amarillo.”

 

“I just wanted to talk to you about rainbows Vernal.” Amarillo chuckled however Vernal got on of what he was implying, she nods her head and, moves her body out of the of the doorway. Amarillo enters the restaurant.

 

“Oh wow you look like shit.” said Cole.

 

“Cole!” yelled Nix, “Sorry about his language I wonder where he gets that from.” he said while looking at his employees, they look away from Nix stern eyes.

 

“I mean he ain’t wrong, Hey do you need a drink, I’ll do it for you on the house Amarillo.” said Rust.

 

“Yeah you look like you had a long day yesterday, maybe it’s something you need right now.” said Rosa.

 

Amarillo rubs the back of his and, nods, “Yeah it was a little hectic but, at least I survived the ordeal, anyway I need to borrow Vernal for a bit.”

 

Nix looks at Amarillo and, Vernal, when he meets eye contact with Vernal she mouthed it will be alright, Nix’s nod at the bounty hunter.

 

“Go ahead I don’t owned Vernal.” said Nix.

 

Amarillo laughs, “That is true, so Vernal shall we go.”

 

Vernal smiles at him though it’s more force than anything, “Sure, let’s go in my room I have a feeling it’s a little private.”

 

“It is, well see you guys in a bit.” said Amarillo.

 

Vernal and, Amarillo head up the stairs, while leaving everybody in the bottom floor wonder.

 

“Do you think their dating?” asked Rust.

 

“Vernal and, that rookie cop, Ha! Your funny Rust.” said Nix.

 

“Does she even like guys let’s be real, she has y’know the  _ Look _ .” Rosa eyed everyone.

 

Rust scoffs, “And what is this so called look your talking about Rosa, do you have personal experiences of this  _ Look.”  _

 

“How about you cut yourself on that glass Rust.” she said cheerfully though more to akin to sarcasm.

 

“Oh so she did mess with the  _ Look, _ So tell Rosa did this occur in the academies.”

 

Rosa flips off Rust as Rust laughs.

 

“Okay you two, stop the teasing, geez you guys are very passive aggressive this morning.” said Nix.

 

Rosa and, Rust chuckled a bit of Nix’s observation.

 

“What does the  _ Look _ mean?” asked Cole.

 

“Rosa is just gossiping nothing you don’t need to worry about, it’s Vernal’s business to be frank.” said Nix

 

“Alright.” said Cole.

 

The room becomes silent the only thing that fills the room is dishes clanking and, water rushing.

 

………….   
  
“Though I’m betting right now that she probably likes both.”

 

“Didn’t you say not to get into Vernal’s business.” said Cole suspicious.

 

“You know that is true.” said Rust curious.

 

“I say she likes the females more and, I stand by it.” slams her fist into the food counter.

 

“Crap I’m stuck with her with the men. Fuck I’m gonna lose.” said Rust.

 

Cole looks at the adults muddled “Didn’t you all agree about not talking about other people’s personal business.”

 

“Oh sweetie. No one does that.” said Rosa.

 

“AH! She’s bi-curious.” exclaimed Rust.

 

Rosa disdain from Rust’s exclamation “Really Rust you’re going that low, you disgust me.”

 

“I mean you went that low in the academies so, it gotta be not that uncommon, I’m afraid.” said Rust smiling.

 

Nix laughs heartily holding his guts from laughter, Rosa looks displease, and Rust smugly grins at Rosa displeased face.

 

Cole want to speak but, he just throws his hands in the air and, slouches into his stool chair groaning while being bewildered by the adults.

  
  
  
  
  


* * *

 

  
  
  
  
  


“So Vernal, where is she?” asked Amarillo.

 

“The terrorist, in there.” she nod to her closet.

 

“Oh my god, what would you do that?!” yelled Amarillo.

 

“Hey don’t be too disgruntled, It was hard sneaking her in by the way and, it didn’t help that I don’t have a good hiding place to put an unconscious girl at.” said Vernal.

 

Amarillo looks at Vernal funny.

 

She sighs, “Yes I just notice how bad that sounded you don’t have to look at me like that.”

 

Vernal opens her closet however when she opens it, the girl is nowhere is to be found. “Wait where is she?” after she said that Ilia drop kicks Vernal from the ceiling. Vernal yelps from the pain she stumbles into her closet she hit the wall face first.

 

“Ow my nose! My perfect symmetrical nose!”

 

“Okay first who says my perfect and, symmetrical nose!” yelled Ilia.

 

“Ilia!”

 

“Amarillo! What are you doing here?!” The girl turn to Amarillo surprise.

 

“What I’m doing here, I asked Vernal to take you here so you wouldn’t get capture by the Red Fang!”

 

“Who is Vernal?” asked Ilia.

 

“The woman you just dropped kick from the ceiling.” the rookie smiles, and pointed at Vernal who has been rolling in pain.

 

“ **Her!?** ” Ilia said disgruntled.

 

“Yes her, also can you help her up.” said Amarillo.

 

“I’m not helping her period!”

 

“Thank you for your concern for my well being, asshole.” said Vernal sarcastically.

 

“Wasn’t talking to you. Also what were you thinking going after the Red Fang!”

 

“They had you cornered, I couldn't let them take you and, what other horrible things they would’ve done to you.”

 

“I don’t care about that! Look what they did to you.”

 

Amarillo was about to retort but, holds his tongue. Ilia shakes her head to Amarillo, she runs her fingers through her Auburn hair.

 

“Amarillo, please don’t get into my business most of the faunus here don’t, so just stop so you won’t get hurt too, for my sake.”

 

“But, you helped so many faunus here, you were the only person doing something when faunus were being treated like second class citizens, I couldn’t let them take you, all the faunus you have helped in the last 8 months wouldn’t have still sit around all because of you, you have to understand that.”

 

Ilia groans and, pinches her nose, she finally lets go of her nose and, looks straight into Amarillo's eyes, “Look, you don’t understand, most of the people I can tell in this city, don’t even know what is going on with White Fang here and, if they know there is a splinter group that is the Red Fang they wouldn’t know what to do, especially the humans, Corsac’s Red Fang, their ruthless and, more cunning than Adam’s control of the White Fang, what I need you to do is not bother them or even interact with me.”

 

“But-”

 

“Stop!, just stop, please, just leave me alone for your safety.”

 

Amarillo want to speak more but, looks away from Ilia, he walks towards the door as he opens the door he speaks,“Alright, I’ll leave you alone only if you lay low in Vernal’s room, when the heat starts to clams down with the Red Fang, can you do that please Iila.”

 

Ilia stands in silence, thinking over Amarillo plan.   
  
“Okay, okay, I’ll stay here until the heat calms down...I’ll see you next time, when you come back here it will be the next time, it’ll be the last time I’ll you see you my friend.”

 

Amarillo glances over his shoulder to see Ilia, he looks at her sadly but, he closes his eyes and, turns back to the door and leaves the room.

 

The whole room is silent, Ilia looks down to the floor, her thoughts flood her with introspection of her situation.  _ “It’s better this way.” she thought, “No one will get hurt.” _

 

“Okay girl.” said Vernal knocking out Ilia’s thoughts out her mind. Ilia looks at the woman affront of with suspicion.

 

“Alright I’m going to lay down some rules for you so you can follow you hear.”

 

Ilia just looks at the woman displease.

 

“Rule one, you don’t leave this room until Amarillo tells me that this new White Fang have gone somewhere else then you can get the hell out of my room and this place. Rule two, don’t make a sound in my room especially if it’s not busy or close, Rule three you hear someone coming in my room or just walking in the hallway hide or jump out that window there, Rule four if your hungry ask don’t wander off in the restaurant or I’m going to have a very, very angry fish man up my ass, so here’s a menu ask me and, I’ll get it for you.”

 

She hands Ilia the menu, Ilia looks at Vernal distrusting but, takes the menu but, doesn’t look at it. Vernal looks at her annoyed but, sighs and continues on her rules.

 

“And, finally Rule five, and I cannot this stress enough don’t break shit.”, said Vernal

 

“Don’t break shit really.”

 

“Yes really, cause he’ll take that out of my check.”

 

“I was talking about your choice of words, though that sounds more sad.”

 

“Ha-Ha-Ha, your so funny you angsty little iguana”

 

“Chameleon.”

 

“Do you think I care what animal you are, look here ‘Ilia’ I want things normal, I’ve been trying to adjusted to society so don’t ruin this for me and, you gotta pray for a god if you mess with the people in this establishment, if you do I’ll end so fast it wouldn’t be a thought, and I’ll make sure no one will ever find you when I’m done.”

 

“Are you implying you’ve done this before.” said Ilia not impress by the threat.

 

Vernal swiftly pulls up her chakram against Ilia neck while her other hand is grips her suit. Ilia is a taken back from how fast the former bandit is.

 

“Yes.” said Vernal grimly.

 

Ilia gazes into Vernal’s eyes unnerved.

 

“So Ilia do you understand these rules.”

 

Ilia glares at Vernal, but looks away and replies,”Yes I understand.”

 

“Good.” the bounty hunter let’s her go and, heads out of the room.

 

“Hey where are you going?” asked Ilia.

 

“Going somewhere, you don’t need to know, and besides you can have the bed tonight, I be gone for a while.” said Vernal. She shuts the door behind her while leaving Ilia.

 

Ilia stands in the hunter’s room confused but, curious of who the woman she is staying with.

 

Vernal walks down the stairs and heading out of the restaurant.

 

“Vernal where are you going?” asked Nix.

 

“A long walk.” replied Vernal.

 

Vernal shuts the door of the restaurant, Cole is sadden, and the whole room is quiet.

 

.................

 

“Well I guess her and Amarillo are not together anymore.” said Rust.

 

“I guess so, it looked rough.” cringed Rosa.

 

“Welp, I’ll bring some ice cream for her when she comes back, hey Cole help me out in the kitchen.”

 

Cole looks at his dad and, smiles however it returns to a sad expression, he stares at his chakrams.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Midnight, slums._ **

  
Vernal walks down an alley, she stops mid way of the alleyway. Waiting for someone.

 

“Brunswick.”

 

“Yes Vernal” the man smiled, he walks out of the shadows of the alley.

 

“So Vernie, where is the lien you own to Mr. Xuyao”

 

“I be honest with you Brunswick…, I won’t be able to give you the lien at the end of the week.”

 

“Really, I’m not surprised especially since, the amount you culminated, however my boss will not be happy Vernie, though I propose a proposition.” he chuckled.

 

“And what is that Brunswick.”

 

“Well, you can join the four beast mafia, join my boss branch in the mafia, Hei Wugui and, you’ll be part of the operations, you’re really good with your weapons Vernal, you can be a very valuable asset in our mafia and, you won’t be paid a shit wage for being an errand girl for Nix, and even shitter job in bounty hunting, come on you know what’s best, right Vernie.”

 

“And what will I be doing Rio, stealing, smuggling, extortion….killing.”

 

“You see you got it down, your smart Vernie.” said Rio.

 

“No, I’m not doing that, no matter how much you propose, I work too hard to just become a criminal again.”

 

Rio is unamused by Vernal’s declaration, he rubs between his brows, he sighs, “Well, you do know what will happen to you and, your family back in the restaurant right, my boss will kill everyone in that restaurant maybe not his grandson but, he will kill everyone there, he doesn’t really like the faunus...Look Vernal, I know I’m a bad guy for most people, but I’m giving you chances to get rid of your debt, look those people in the restaurant are good people, not people messing with the mafia at all, My job is to go to people who own money to my boss Hei Xuyao, but you are putting them endanger, now I’ll give you the weekend to join my boss’s organization when start using your head, you’ll join us or else you’ll burn everyone on the ship.”

 

Rio takes his leave and, leaves Vernal in her thoughts.

 

The bounty hunter clutches her hands frustrated at her situation.

 

“You don’t look so good.”

 

Vernal snaps out of her thoughts and, looks up she doesn’t see anything until, the girl in question shows herself. Ilia walks out of the shadow and, reverts to her original colors.

 

“What do you want.”

 

“You look like you need some help, and...I want to help.”

 

“Why, you get nothing from this.”

 

Ilia sighs, “Okay I get it, you don’t exactly trust me but, you obviously care for the faunus at the restaurant, I never seen a human care that much about my people,and everyone in that restaurant seems to cares about you in one way or another, and Amarillo entrusted you with me for a reason. Look I’ll help you to get rid of that debt, that’s what I’m saying, unless you want to hear me out of what I’m proposing.”

 

Vernal looks at Ilia surprised, she doesn’t know if she can trust an known terrorist but, she knows this is the only chance she has,”Okay I’m listening.”

 

Ilia smiles, “Well there is a shipment of dust.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long upload, life my dudes.  
> tho I'll be continuing this fic and, hopefully be done with it and work for the other fic I've put on hiatus.  
> kudos, comment, share.


	8. The Heist Part 1

“Okay look I understand you want to help, however I’m a fuck up but, not a fuck up person so that means I can’t do anything illegal, do you understand that,” said Vernal.

“You’re telling me, an ex-white fang member about legality that’s funny, however, this stuff was already illegal, to begin with so, it’s cancel each other out.”

Vernal looks at the girl for a moment however she smiles and, replies to the girl plan, “Continue.”

Ilia rolls her eyes and, continues on her plan, “I thought so, well I overheard very gossipy Red Fang Member’s talking about it when I was trying to survive in this deathtrap of a city while along the way helping Faunus out here.”

“Okay great you help people, now where is this big ass and, totally not illegal smuggling ring of terrorist at.”

“Well I was getting there when you interrupted me though considering how desperate you are right now and, how incredibly deep in debt that you are currently in, makes a lot of sense, however, it’s not gonna be easy and, we gotta plan this right or we are going to have a shit ton Red fang members on us and, they are more ruthless than Adam’s white fang and, that is saying something.”

“Is that supposed to scare me.” she looked at the ex-white fang member critically

“It should, Adam was the one who tried to blow up the Haven, luckily I was there to stop some of the bombs.”

“Wait there were more bombs at Haven.” Vernal looked shocked.

“It doesn’t matter, I just stop the ones that would cause the most damage, and the other’s...well you know.”

Vernal cold stares at Ilia, “So I guess, you were the dud bombs that the mayor was talking about but, I’m curious why stop the bombs? Don’t you white fang member’s hate humans for what they did to your people.”

“I don’t need to explain to you human and, besides I didn’t ask about your criminality,”

“Um, fair also are you going to tell where the dust shipment is at or are you going to tell me how you gleefully made a bomb when you were twelve because your parents didn’t love you enough.”

Ilia turns shades of red throughout her whole body at the bounty hunter’s comment however she knows she needs the hunter’s help with the heist, she wasn’t exactly helping Vernal because of the Faunus in the restaurant have a form of respect for Vernal well a little bit but, for the most part she was running low from her funds that she “borrow” from the organization, and she knows she can’t take on the Red Fang by herself for the shipments let alone the group themselves, she calms down and returns to her original skin color,”Well if you want to know, it’s near the air docks in uptown of Mistral.”

“Okay great let’s go there now.” Vernal walks past to Ilia.

“Wait, wait, wait, you can’t just go up to uptown to steal from the Red Fang shipment of dust like that, they're gonna guard it and, there is a possibility that there are some dirty cops around the dock to keep people investigating it.”

“Well, a dirty cop is a dead cop, just like those dead terrorists in the building that I one shotted the other day.”

“Wait, wait, wait. Wait. _You're_ the one who made that building crash down!” Ilia exclaim.

“Well duh, who else was there that wasn’t a walking mask or being beaten almost half to death.” The hunter blatant said.

Ilia glares at the hunter, “You could’ve killed me and, Amarillo! What were you thinking!”

“I was thinking how much lien I was going to get at the end of the day and, maybe get a drink from Rust, It’s better to throw yourself into the flames than, to be surrounded by smoke, that’s my motto of life, helps me to move forward day by day.” Vernal chuckled.

Ilia looks at Vernal baffled and shocked, “Wow, it makes so much sense. So your the woman who destroys a lot of the property here, no wonder the taxes here are sky high in Mistral, and here I thought Amarillo was making werid a jokes about a human that breaks more things than fix, wow no wonder no one likes you.” she chuckled at the end of her sentence.

“Well I can ask the same thing about you and, your group, though I got something else on my mind, you know you don’t have to stay with me, your an adult sorta of, doesn’t really matter how old you are life is shit, though back on topic you can do whatever you want, also it helps me not to sneak you into my room and, hid you like some bastard child, or in your case a mixed human, Faunus child.”

“I’m fully Faunus, not a disgusting human.” seethe Ilia.

“Oh aren’t you cheery, also question what is the air dock number of where the illegal shipments of dust are coming in.”

“It’s not going to come in, in two days.”

The hunter flinched at Ilia’s admission, “Are you serious, you hype me up for nothing and, that amounts of days is not looking good considering what Rio has told me.”

“You have tomorrow to pay him when the days come close, you’ll be fine, also we have enough time to plan how we get in the air docks, so whatever is going on your mind we aren’t going to go head first into danger that you obviously seem to be wanting, so tell me what type of job did you do before you were a bounty hunter Vernal I’m curious.”

“Sorry iguana, I didn’t ask about your criminality.” snide Vernal.

After Vernal snide at the Faunus girl, Ilia extended her rapier against Vernal’s throat. Glaring at the bounty hunter.

“Call me iguana one more time, and see what my rapier can do.”

“I have a feeling you have anger issues, though I’m not complaining, though it’s that attitude that royally pisses me off, fine I’ll go along with your little plan but, I’ll assure you we don’t need a plan.”

“Oh and, you have one.”

“Actually I do.” said Vernal. She moves the rapier with her index finger on the side, she tugs her shirt collar and, looks to Ilia, “You said they have shipments of dust right.”

Ilia looks at Vernal perplex however replies to Vernal’s question, “Yes but, what are you planning exactly?”

Vernal grins at the Faunus girl, “Well since the terrorist are coming in the air docks, and depending how much of dust on the docks it can blow up them Red fang member sky high including those corrupt cops and, me, you, the police, and the people in the city, don’t have to deal with these shitheads.”

Ilia looks at Vernal surprise by her plan, she doesn’t know much about the woman in question, neither about her past occupation before becoming a bounty hunter but, she knows that this human was clever and, cunning.  
She didn’t really like humans like that, humans who were like Vernal tended to be cruel, deceitful, and at worst can read people like a book.

“So Ilia what do you think.” said Vernal still smiling.

Ilia snapped out of her thoughts, she answers the woman’s question, “Um, that sounds...practical.”

“Of course it’s practical, when you take out half of your targets, they start to crumble especially if it’s unexpected, so I guess you want to be part of the plan well, let’s head back home before anyone sees you out in the open your still being hunted by red fang members and, the police I might add.” Vernal yawns and walks out of the alleyway.

Ilia looks at the woman, she doesn’t know anything about her but, she had an uneasy feeling that the woman in front of her wasn’t what she seemed to be, that the closer that the ex-spy was next to her, she had a particular scent, it was faint but, she can tell that she almost smelled like a corpse.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Nix’s restaurant, morning

  
Ilia sleeps on the bed, she wakes up and, looks at the ceiling, while Vernal reads a book at the corner of the room. Ilia gets off the bed and, looks at Vernal confused.

“Did you even get any sleep last night? And are you reading a book?” her tone was akin to surprise particularly at the part that Vernal was reading a book.

Vernal still reading her book without looking at Ilia replies to the former spy, “Nope have insomnia it’s hard for me to sleep, and yes I read books, it’s better than, sitting around and being miserable because I can’t sleep, also I’m a tad offended that you think I don’t enjoy to read books.”

“I’m a little surprised if I’m honest, you don’t look like you partake the leisure activity of book reading, that you look more like a bandit than anything else.”

Vernal peeks out of her book and, glares at Ilia, “Well in sensed I’m kinda like a bandit, didn’t know how to read until I was fifteen.” after she replied to Ilia, she yawned yet again.

“Wow did you live way out of civilization.”

“Well I was by myself in the wilderness for a while but, that’s in the past.”  
Vernal puts down her book and, looks at Ilia with a smirk, “So do you feel like scouting the air docks to get a better layout.”

“I mean aren’t we gonna blow it up, or having second thoughts about your plan.”

“Of course we are going to blow it up, however, it’s good to know the place where the dust is coming in and, where the group is hiding up in the upper city of sin, and obviously you’re running low on funds and, I’m running low on time so, this heist better be run by precision, so it has to be quick, easy, and it has to look like we weren’t there at all.”

The ex-spy rubs her forehead out of frustration, she stares at Vernal for awhile and, finally speaks her mind, “Okay, not only did you say you were going to go into an illegal operation guns blazing while talking about some weird metaphor about smoke and flames, you also want to send me in the wolves den to scout them out, are you serious.”

“Yep, and obviously you weren’t some grunt in the white fang, you look like a scout or maybe a spy, am I right.”

IIia is taken aback by Vernal’s observation, “How would you know that I never even mention that.”

“Well I can tell from how you carry yourself, you look over your shoulder, you hid in the shadows, you made sure no one is looking, you’re very skilled in hand to hand combat, and try to look scarce when you are in room with or without people, was I right about that too.”

“Who are you! what did you do before when you were a bounty hunter, I have a feeling it wasn’t legal.”

The bounty hunter smirks at the girl’s questions,“Nope I’m not going to tell you, it’s something personal to me and, I rather not discuss my previous life, it’s gone and, right now I just want to live a normal life with, normal problems, you understand that right.”

“What was a normal life for me was how my parents were treated like dirt, and how I was ostracized by everyone, I don’t want to live like that, I wanted to change the circumstances of my life and, others.”

Vernal scoffed, “Yeah and, look what it brought you, being chased by the people you worked with, the ideals of your organization crumbling as infighting destroy whatever ideals the founders tried so hard to produce went to waste, being targeted by multiple groups of people legal or not legal wanting your head or imprisonment, and all because you wanted to help people like you.”

Ilia glares at Vernal but, looks away from the woman.

“I guess I’m right uh, that’s why you look out for yourself or you’ll be used by whatever fantasy’s the people put inside your head, though I guess it doesn’t matter now uh.”

“Shut up,” grumbled Ilia.

“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t hear you loud enough maybe it’s the sound of you wasting the rest of your life to a cause that didn’t matter in the long, I guess your parents are real proud of you.” Vernal raises her hand against her ear.

That cross the line when she brought her parents in the conversation, Ilia snapped had about enough of Vernal’s mockery.  
She sprints towards Vernal, attempts to punch the woman, the hunter dodges the spy’s punch and, crescents around the girl from the side, Ilia sees Vernal and, back kicks the woman in the stomach.  
Vernal yelps from the kick, she trips on the end of the bed and, lands on her back against the bed spring, Ilia jumps on the former bandit, savagely tries punching the woman, however, Vernal covers her head from the blows.

“Take that back now!” Ilia continued her punches on the woman.

“Take back what! You being stupid enough to believe in an unachievable goal from people who used you or your parents raising a fuck up like you, cause both are looking pretty more accurate than not!”

Ilia stops punching Vernal, and tries to rip her arms open from her face, “You're fucking dead you know that!” yelled Ilia

“Let me guess, Your parents died from some humans and, you decided to do the same on them cause of the fucked up cycle of violence until the violence came to you uh! But, if you think karma got you, you’re wrong because karma doesn’t exist, you stumbled and, fucked up and, now your reaping of what you sow.”

“Quiet!” Ilia pried open Vernal’s arms.

Vernal stares at the girl angrily and, yells at her, “Look girl! What I care about is getting lien, to pay Rio Brunsbitch so he can go to his boss and, end this debt, so I can live peacefully without any trouble cause I ain’t going back to that life, I’m sick and tired of disappointment from my own life that I don’t want to go back to something that didn’t give a shit about me in the first place, now stop acting like an emotional fucking teenager and, so we can get that damn dust shipment so we both can get out of each other's life.”

Ilia glares at the woman below her but, she knows if she was going to get away from this asshole, she has to work with her to get that shipment for getting out of the mistral.  
With the amount of the lien that’s riding that illegal operation by the Red Fang, she could use the lien to hide and find a safer place for herself, and helping the innocent Faunus out of this woman’s stupid decisions that landed her in debt with whatever people she owns lien to.

“I’ll work with you but, don’t do any of that psychological shit.”

Vernal gestured her hand with crosses on her heart. Ilia scoffs at the woman.

“Hey I crossed my heart, you should believe me, also get off me your very uncomfortable and, it’s a little gay that you are straddling me, just a tad.”

Ilia sighs, “If only you knew.”

“Knew what? Actually nevermind I don’t care just get off me.”

Before Ilia got off Vernal, a door opened into Vernal’s room, “Um Vernal I got you a tub of ice cream, I was wonder we both can eat it even though dad says I can’t but, I don’t want you to have a tummy ache when you eat it all, I’m just...helping Vern-”

The boy paused and, look upon the scene, he was surprised but, became expressionless.

“Oh shit.” said Vernal.

“Um, Vernal, who is that?” asked confused.

“Um before you assume, um this is Lela, and she is um a friend.”

Ilia looks at Vernal scrutinizing for calling her Lela, she whispers,”Lela that’s what you came up with.” however Vernal hit her in ribs.

Ilia scrowls at Vernal, however, she paid attention to the boy, and waves at him, the boy waves back however he scrutinized Vernal.

“Are you sure she’s your friend, cause I don’t think friends do that.” said Cole.

“Yes um she does massages and, I was trying this thing to help with my insomnia so I called her up about it.”

“Okay I get that, however, this doesn’t look like a massage, and I didn’t see her come through the front door.” he furrows his brows.

“Okay, Cole how about a deal, how about I pay you hundred lien to keep this quiet, good deal uh.”

Vernal looks at him her eyes are screaming pleads.  
The boy looks at the woman expressionless but, cracks a smile and, bursts out laughing, he holds his stomach, the ice cream tub falls from his hand and, so do the spoons. Vernal’s face turns irritated at the boy laughing.

“Okay Cole, what so funny.”

“You say you can pay me in lien.” he gasps for breaths, “You are so funny if you think you can bribe me with lien you don’t have.” the boy now is on his knees from the laughter.

Vernal is not happy nor proud of this moment, she looks up to Ilia and, the spy herself is laughing from this whole scene.

“Okay, okay, OKAY!, I get it, I don’t have lien or anything in this house but, I’ll assure you, I’ll pay you.”

“Yeah no that’s not happening.” said Cole.

“Cole, I know you, you’re not that petty, you can’t be that petty, please don’t be petty.”

“Well you be right but, you haven’t been yourself for a couple days so and, maybe you need to be by yourself, like how Alloy is and she’s happy.” Cole smile

“Oh no, you did not just compare me to Alloy, Cole you insulted me, and you insulted human decency!”

Ilia bursts out laughing.

“Don’t laugh! This is a very serious discussion!” yelled Vernal.

Cole giggles at the bounty hunter’s reaction, Vernal looks at the both of them who are just rousting the woman.

“Okay, you all can laugh at me and what’s left of my pride.”

“I won’t tell on you but, I’ll mock you.” he giggled.

As everyone is laughing at Vernal, a set of footsteps are heard in the hallway.

“Okay since we do not know what Vernal is attracted to so the bet is not really in effect.”

“I mean yeah, we don’t even know that was a rejection from Amarillo y’know, so we really don’t know and, I don’t feel like asking Vernal it’s seemed very private.”

“Rust, you are just worried you’ll lose the bet cause I’ll be right, it’s little pathetic also I’ll ask her if you don’t-”

As they walk by Vernal’s room both of the Faunus see Cole laughing and, Vernal however they see a stranger on top of Vernal.

“I guess I won that bet Rust.”

“DAMMIT!”

 

 

* * *

 

 

The whole room was quiet, Rosa looked at her lien while chuckling at Vernal, Rust cleans the glass he looks upset mostly because half his paycheck is currently in Rosa’s hands, Cole is fidgeting with his fingers looking nervous, and then Nix, he does not look, please.

“So tell me Vernal, when did you decide to go against my rules.”

“Okay before you go on about breaking rules, betrayal, and anything other ideas you are having right now, I was looking for a massage and, I needed it for what I’ve been through, it was pretty traumatic Nix.”

The beta Faunus was not convinced. “Your lying and, from what my son saw it didn’t look like a massage.” as his gills flare up.

Vernal gulped, she knows when he’s really angry his gills flares, “Nix, I promise you it wasn’t what you think, and your son didn’t see anything.” she looks at Cole, she closes both his ears, “It wasn't anything in an sexual nature" She was here to do a massage.”

Vernal open the boy’s ears, “You know still heard that I’m a Faunus remember and, dad she telling the truth.”

“Even if she is, she brought someone in without telling me and, this is my house and my business, do you know what people would do to my business, destroy it just simply because I’m a Faunus who runs it.”

“Nix why would I bring someone like that in your restaurant and, il- I mean Lela plus she’s a Faunus so she isn’t going to destroy your business.”

Iila sighs and, changes her colors on her skin.

“Wow! That’s so cool, I wanna change colors like that!” said Cole.

Rust and, Rosa look stunned.

“Holy shit you would date a Faunus, I’m a little surprise your that progressive or you have a Faunus fetish.” said Rosa.

“Ooo that makes so much sense especially that “Will” how she talked about you Rosa, wow I think I know Vernal a little bit more than I should it’s not appropriate Vernie.”

Vernal didn’t look at Rosa nor Rust but, she flips them both off.

“Vernal it doesn’t matter if she is a Faunus, even some of the people who are after me are Faunus and, they would destroy this restaurant because humans would pay them incredible amounts of Lien.”

“Where is this coming from, people trying to get you, ruin your restaurant, who would do that.”

Ilia looks at Vernal irritated since Vernal is the one who is threatening his restaurant because of debt with the Black Turtle.

“Rust can you take Cole upstairs, he hasn’t finished cleaning up his room.” said Nix.

“Hey! My room is clean!” yelled the boy.

“Yeah I don’t think throwing your toys, clothes inside a closet isn’t clean. Pick it up.”

Cole groaned and, stomped up to his room, “And I wanted to hear who was messing with our home.”

“Come here Cole, your fine you baby I’ll help you out.”

Cole paused, “...Okay.”

When Rust and, Cole were out of sight Nix looks at Vernal serious.

Nix sighs and, walk to a family picture with him, baby Cole, and His wife, “My wife Valo, her father is Hei Xuyao he has a loathing hatred towards the Faunus, he was livid when his daughter decided to marry me and, have a family with me, Cole has never seen his grandfather nor his grandfather.”

Vernal recognize the name, Hei Xuyao he’s the one she owns Lien to, her face turns grim, and her hands tighten into a fist.  
“My wife told me he should never meet him and, told me of tactics he would use against me at our restaurant, but when she died I think he stopped attacking the restaurant maybe he knows this is the only thing he has of her, but I know he isn’t like that.”

“I’m sorry. That I didn’t tell you.” she said.

“Well sorry isn’t going to cut it, especially if you’re not telling me the truth, so tell me Vernal who is she.” he looked at Ilia suspiciously.

“Fuck I can’t tell him, I’m hiding a known terrorist, owed money to his father in law, and planning to rob a damn illegal shipment, I don’t have anything to say, not only that he knows when I lie cause he’s just like me!” she thinks to herself.

She tries to speak but, she keeps tripping on her words and, is nervous.

Nix glares at Vernal getting angrier by the second. “Why are you so nervous.”, As Vernal tries to speak, Ilia grabs her arm and, pulls her close to her.

She whisper, “Okay obviously you're breaking under pressure from him and, I know you have a form of respect to him however you gotta trust me when I talk to him cause obviously, you are not. So are you going to trust me.”

Vernal looks at Ilia, and she seems to be calm unlike herself, she knows that she has been in rougher spots then this but, this was Nix the one who brought her in when he didn’t really have to but, he did anyway and, got her a last name so people wouldn’t ask questions. She didn’t like him being too trusting especially with her around his family and, the restaurant and, if he ever knew about her past he be heartbroken and, even more Cole.

Vernal nods to Ilia, the Ex-spy smiles, however, the former has an inkling that smile has more sinister intentions, she turned to Nix.

“I’m so sorry Mister Crown, I didn’t want to disturb any of you since you all were busy making preparations to your anniversary of the restaurant, and I really wanted to be surprised when I see it finish.” said Ilia.

“So you were snuck into my home cause you wanted to be surprised.”

“Well it’s not only that, Vernal felt if she tell you now it would stress you out.”

“She always stresses me out.”

“Oh I know, it’s that she was worried that you would hate her for being who she is.” Ilia holds Vernal’s hand.

Vernal eyes widen and, looks towards IIia, Ilia mouths, “Play along.”

“She is right, I was afraid you would judge me differently.”

The whole room becomes quiet. Vernal was sweating, Rosa's mouth was agape, and Nix stood still.

“Um, are you okay?” asked the bounty hunter.

Ilia whispered in Vernal’s ear, “Wait is he actually homophobic?!”

“No he isn’t….actually I don’t know we don’t talk about relationships.”

Nix looks upon the two girls serious, Vernal and, Ilia back away from Nix.

Nix sighs, he looks sad?

“Wait why does he look like that?” thought Vernal.

“You thought I would hate you for being gay? Vernal you didn’t have to worry about that is that why you look so nervous.”

“Holy shit he took the bait?!” thought the women.

“Um yeah, I was worried you would hate me and, not accept me for who I love a lot.”

“Who I love a lot, who say that about someone they like.” whispered Ilia

“Shut up, go along with it.” whispered Vernal.

“Vernal, Jeez you made me feel bad, you know what how about you go around the town here.” he handed Vernal Lien.

“You two have some fun, maybe you can go uptown, you definitely deserve it considering what you have been doing the last couple days you have done more than I would’ve expected from you and, I’m proud of that now go out do something fun, be yourselves”

“Wow, he is really upset.” thought Vernal, “Maybe I should play the victim card more.”

“Thanks Nix, for accepting us and, we will go and, have fun.” said Vernal. Her and, Ilia back away from the counter and, heading out to the door.

“Oh come on, I definitely lost that fucking bet!”  
“HA! You snooze you lose Rust, Now I’m going to on a spending spree.”

“A bet? what bet.” demanded Vernal.

“They were betting if you gay or bi-curious, and the end result is that Rosa won.” chuckled Nix.

“Oh…..well I’m bisexual so, that bi-curious shit is sorta true but, really wrong like very wrong and, Rosa is wrong always, anyway see you guys later, let’s go Lela.” She drags Ilia out of the restaurant Ilia waves goodbye to the gang.

The room is yet again silence until Rosa curses. “Are you serious!”

Rust laughs hysterically and, falls on the floor, as for Nix he laughs. “Well, I guess I won the bet, Pay up Rosa I’m going to spend that money on some premium Cigars.”

Rosa groans.

“Oh don’t worry I’ll share some cigars with you if you like that.” laughed Nix.

“I don’t want you participation trophy Nix!, I want my Lien back!” she cried.

Vernal and, Ilia come out of the restaurant and, sigh.

“That was so close. Also are you actually bi?”

“Hell no I’m gay as fuck but, I’m not letting Rosa being right about me and, getting Lien about me in a bet of all things.” fumed Vernal.

“Wow you are petty, so what are going to do with this Lien.” Ilia holds up a card full of lien.

“Well we are going uptown since that’s where the shipment is at but, also I didn’t appreciate how you made my boss feel.”

“Oh come on, don’t pout, he gave us lien, right now we should have some fun, scouting an illegal operation, hopefully not getting caught by either cops or the members of the Red Fang.”

“Great so it’s a date.” groaned Vernal.

“I don’t think how dates work out like that but, I’ll agree with you, it's going to fucking sucks, now let’s go.” said Ilia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas guys, hope you like this cuz I had a lot of fun with it.


	9. The Black Pearl

Mistral uptown a beautiful wonder, place of culture, music, and the arts says the pamphlet, though the pamphlet isn’t wrong it about Mistral’s culture, music and the arts that’s pretty accurate however a beautiful wonder? Okay now you're being pretentious at this point.

 

Ilia took Vernal out of her thoughts and, throw clothes at the bounty hunter, “Vernal here.”

 

Vernal is hit with a barrage of clothing, “what the- What is this? A dress you expect me to wear a dress, hello look at me!” she pointed at herself and, her masculine style.

 

“Yep it’s traditional, It’s fancy, and we need to look like we have money when we go into that Luxury suite where conveniently the air docks of the illegal shipments are taking place and, not only that we have the best layout of the area.”

 

“Okay, okay that sounds good and, all but, how the fuck are we going to afford these clothes and, a luxury suite at that.”

 

“I have my funds still, and I only can afford these clothing and, the suite for a day and two so you are going to wear that fancy dress, and get over it.”

 

“I hate this also I’m getting the gloves over there.”

 

Ilia looks at the bounty hunter crazy “Why do you need long gloves? who do you think you are, a movie star, do I look like I come from Lien, Vernal.”

 

“I’m sorry Ilia but, I have scars all over my arms and, a tattoo at that so there's your answer! And those fancy people you want to cozy up to are gonna look at my scar ridden arms and, they won’t appreciate my tattoo either.” she pointed at the Faunus.

 

“Oh woe is me! Fine you can get your gloves but, your spending your own Lien on all your clothing by the way.”

 

Vernal scoffs at the girl and, walks to the long Velvet gloves, she looks at the price tag and, her eyes widen, “This cost me my whole paycheck what is wrong with these rich people, do they hate themselves.”

 

“Vernal their rich, they don’t worry about Lien, they worry how much Lien they make, not spend.”

 

“What is this?! This is not a dress this is a fuck me dress, okay I’m not wearing a dresses I’m wearing button up shirt.”

 

“You always wear a button up, Wear something fancy so we look the part!”

 

As Ilia and, Vernal are arguing of about dresses, two employees look from the distance of the two.

 

“Are you going to call the police cause they look like their going to kill each other at any moment.” the female employee said.

 

Manager shakes his head “No I think they are going to pay but, they seem like couple that has been together for awhile and, currently you are seeing the years dating, don’t ever get marry kid.”

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

  
  


 

 

Ilia looks at herself in the mirror she wears and long elegant silk Cheongsam it’s purple with silver lining, and golden floral patterns. She smiles as she looks at her dress it’s been awhile since she wore something nice, however she stop smiling when she hears Vernal struggling in the dressing room.

 

“Do you need help in there Vernal.”

 

“NO! I got this!” she panted.

 

Ilia rolls her eyes and, walks near dressing room where Vernal is changing. She hears the woman struggling inside the dressing room.

 

“Who design this and, thought hey let’s just make the waist so tight that person can’t breathe init, this is fucking ridiculous.”

 

Ilia holds in her laughter.

 

“Okay I got the waist part done, now the sleeves okay all I need to do is.” 

 

**Tear.**

 

Vernal is silent and, Ilia is stunned.

 

“Shit.” said Vernal.

 

“Vernal, was that a tear.”

 

“....No.”

 

“Your lying it was.”

 

“N-no it wasn’t.”

 

“I’m coming in there.”

 

“NO! Don’t do that, I’m fine Ilia you don’t need to do that shit, I can change my clothes.”

 

“Vernal if that’s a tear we are leaving that in there and, hopefully we never come back here however I just want to see.”

 

“No you’ll either punch me or laugh at me and, I’m not going through that again.”

 

“If your not going to let me in, your going to wear that fucked up dress you ruin.”

 

There was silence between the women.

 

“Fine come in.”

 

After Ilia come in the dressing room, she immediately laughs at Vernal.

 

Vernal sighs,“Shut up.”

  
  


 

 

* * *

 

 

  
  


Vernal looks at her finely tailored suit, it’s black with navy blue patterns on it. It feels nice but, too fancy for her maybe she’s used of having shabby clothing that she either stolen or bought with the small amount of Lien she had at the time but, even then she didn’t really had anything fancy.

 

“It’s a little too fancy for my taste but, it looks like it would do.” she turns away from the mirror and, looks towards Ilia.

 

“Too fancy for your taste? Wow didn’t expect you be a humble human most are avarice.” she leans against the pillar of the shop.

 

“Okay I didn’t say I’m humble, I like expensive things like any other person, I’m just not really into clothing per say, I like things more akin to trinkets, mirrors, jewelry, and finely made weapons, now that I think about it, I like pretty things you can keep with you.”

 

“Wow I didn’t expect you have a, girly side of you except, with cheap makeup.” said Ilia

Vernal flips her off.

 

Ilia chuckles at Vernal, “but, you are pretty practical when it comes with anything else.”

 

“Whatever let’s just get out of here, I hate the way those employees are looking at me.”

 

“Their probably thinking your going to steal something which I can understand, you look pretty seedy.”

 

Vernal flips off Ilia yet again and, walks towards the checkout counter.

 

“Um are you going to pay these?”

 

“No she is. Though I’ll pay for this watch.”

 

“Wait what?” asked Ilia

 

“Great that will be 5,000 lien.”

 

Ilia eyes widen at the price of clothing and, jewelry from Ilia and, the 2,000 lien tailor suit and, seeing Vernal chuckling at her “Oh your an asshole.” said Ilia

 

“Don’t worry I’ll pay for the suite.” laughed Vernal.

  
  


 

* * *

 

  
  


 

The women make it to the luxury suite the Black Pearl, it’s an 20 story Pagoda, it’s black roofing makes it’s an iconic view and, within the suite the deep red mahogany walls surrounded the luxurious lounge.

 

Vernal sighs, “Okay so since we’re here I just need to think of way of getting that shipment without drawing attention of ourselves in the process.” Vernal deep in concentration of how to pull off that stunt without getting notice by the Red Fang. This might be more tricky than she originally thought

 

“Well I know for sure we are going to take that handsome amount of illegal dust, get away without anyone knowing we were there, you take your share to pay off the dude who's been blackmailing you, and I’ll take my share and, hopefully never see you again, see look I made you a plan before you even started.” Ilia remarked with a ting of patronizing.

 

“Oh aren’t you smart please tell me how do you escape with 5 million Lien worth's of dust without tipping off the Red fang, Police, and or civilian, tell me oi wise one.”

 

“Over 5 million Lien you own these guys!, no wonder their blackmailing you, and little bit surprised they don’t kill you.” said Ilia

 

“Well considering with the event that have happened in the attack of Haven and Atlas having a dust embargo and, now with these Red Fang guys, the mafia are planning something big to get their products moving, police would rather prefer look at the Red Fang than the mafia extorting everyone including their grandmother.”

 

Ilia shakes her head at the bounty hunter remarks, “Sound about the same with SDC, fucking humans.”

 

“I know right, were fucking awful, now let’s go sign in and, be awestruck of the ridiculous price that the rich don’t blink about.”

 

They walk up to the counter of where the receptionist types away at her computer, she look up to the women who approach the desk, “How can I help you two today.”

 

Vernal smiled at the reception, “Yes, Um I would like to have a room preferably where I can see over the city and, for two nights.”

 

“Oh well let me check.”

 

Ilia chirped in, “Can we check in the Penthouse?”

 

Vernal turns to Ilia looking at the woman scrutinizing.

 

Ilia whispered back, “Getting you back at the shop, now you know how it feels.”

 

“Um uh, are you two together?”

 

Vernal and, Ilia look at each other, they rolled with what the receptionist assume they turned to the woman, they both replied, “Yes.”

 

“Oh okay, um it seems that the penthouse is already taken seems that the mayor of the city is currently checked in it but, we do have other room but, it has um....” she coughed.

 

“Has what?” asked Ilia as she scrutinize the woman.

 

The woman is now blushing and, looking uncomfortable, “Um well you see, uh are you two together,  _ together _ .”

 

Ilia stares at the receptionist her freckles flared up to red usually that color was reserved for anger or irritation. Vernal takes the last second to take advantage of the situation before it goes to shit, she wraps her arm around Ilia’s waist and, pulls her closer.

 

Vernal leans in close to the receptionist, “Well you see, I’m a very private person in my business, and public life you see and me and my girlfriend have been together for 5 years and, I just wanted to make her day special for our anniversary however, we have to hide of who we are to people who just can’t accept.”

 

Ilia glares at Vernal’s decision to do this but, either that or miss their chance to get the dust, Ilia deeply inhales and, exhales to speak, “You know Mistral is a beautiful place with culture, music, and festivities unlike any other nation but, it also has it’s dark side and, me and my girlfriend just want to have two night together in totally privacy and, bliss without being judged.”

 

Vernal nodded, “Correct.”

 

The receptionist stares at the two surprise however she starts to tear up.

 

_ “Holy shit we convince her.” thought the two. _

 

“Okay, we have one room that over sees the city, and you two can be yourselves, I’m sorry you had to go through that.” she choked.

 

Ilia and, Vernal grasped the receptionist shoulders.

 

“Thank you, thank you for accepting us for who we are.” said Vernal. She tries not to smile too much or laugh at that matter as well as Ilia who is having a hard time keeping a straight face.

 

“Here’s your key to get in, I hope you have a nice two nights.” the woman sobs.

 

Ilia and, Vernal nod at the woman, they hold each other at their waist to look the part and, walk across the lounge to the elevator, they go in Ilia pushes the button to head up in the hotel, the elevator door closes.

 

They stand their for moment until Ilia broke the silent.

 

“I can’t believe she fall for that.”

 

Vernal bursts out laughing, “I know! And I was so obvious that I was lying, holy shit.” she continues to laugh and, so does Ilia.

 

“I mean how!?, like we weren’t even trying at that point!” laughed Ilia.

 

They keep on laughing till they hit the floor they were approaching. As Ilia and, Vernal start to calm down from their laughter, Ilia looks at Vernal.

 

“Hey Vernal.” said Ilia smiling.

 

“What?’ asked the bounty hunter.

 

“Let go of my waist, before I break your hand.”

 

Vernal shoots up her hands in defense, she stares at the girl’s sudden mood change with confusion.

 

“Damn, why you have to be so violent, I didn’t do anything to you.”

The elevator door opens, they both head out of the elevator and, walked down the hallway. “Um room 750.

 

“Do you know how to use the key card.” Ilia smiled.

 

Vernal turns and, glares at Ilia.

 

“Yes I know how to use a key card, asshole, clearly that was either an ageist joke which by the way I’m 22 or you were fucking mocking my intelligence either way I’m pissed that you had the audacity to say that to me.”

 

Vernal turns to the door, she puts in the key card in the door however it beeps and, turns red.

 

“What the fuck.”

 

Ilia snickers, Vernal growls at Ilia’s laughter nevertheless she continues to put in the key card in however it’s not reading it.

 

“Seriously!” yelled Vernal.

 

Keeps jamming the key card but, it’s not doing anything, Ilia stop laughing and, walks over to Vernal she stands over the bounty hunter, Vernal peers up to Ilia scrutinizing at her.

 

“Okay let me see.” Ilia smiled.

 

Vernal stares at Ilia for couple moments but, sighs and, hands Ilia the key card. Ilia jiggles the key card couple times and, the door opens when the mechanism turned green.

 

Vernal look so defeated by the fact it was so easy for the girl.

 

“To be honest with you, key cards can be stupid sometimes.”

 

Vernal takes the key card out of Ilia’s hand. She straighten up and, looks at girl before her.

 

“Shut up Ilia….also thank you.” Vernal walks in the room.

 

Ilia laughs at her reaction, however fun things must come to an end, Ilia follow suit into the room, she is shocked of what she see.

 

“What the f-” Ilia was cut off when Vernal yelled.

 

“Oh NO! OH NO!” Vernal yelled, she picked up a set of handcuffs in shock.

 

What Ilia and, Vernal see is a very BDSM dungeon filled with cuffs, wall full of leashes, whips, crop whips, ball gags, strap-ons, lube and blindfold.

 

“No wonder she acted all uncomfortable and, blushing. She didn’t think we were a sad sob story of two lesbian that society hated, she thought we were a two lesbians with a kink with a sad story that society hated!” yelled Vernal as she throw handcuffs across the room.

 

“I mean, you are wearing a choke collar so I wouldn’t blame her if she assumed we had some sort of kink. WAIT A MINUTE!” yelled Ilia.

 

“What!” yelled Vernal.

 

“If she assume, she probably think of you as bottom, I think why she was confused with you.” Ilia snorted.

 

Vernal face turned sour as Ilia laughs, Vernal rolls her eyes walks to a very comfortable bed she stares at the bed for couple of seconds and, flops onto the mattress and, screams into the pillow.

 

“Oh come on Vernal have a sense of humor it could’ve been worse. We wouldn’t get our pay out.”

 

Vernal turned to Ilia, she thought about it and, smiled.

 

“Are you okay? What are you smiling like that?” asked Ilia.

 

“Oh nothing something remind me of a certain person.”

 

Vernal smiled but, her smiled turned into a sorrowful expression. Ilia notices her expression she wants to ask her but, it doesn’t seem she would tell her about it.

 

“Well I’m tired so move your ass.” said Ilia.

 

Vernal sighs and, turns over onto her back. 

 

Ilia lays on her back sighs of relief, “Man this bed is so comfortable, also we should check out to the air docks and, see what’s going on below.”

 

“It’s probably a good idea, we should sleep during the day and, and get some advantages of what would happen in the night however we got one shot of this so let’s make this count.”

 

“Definitely until then, I just want to sleep.”

 

“Okay goodnight.” Vernal said groggily. She instantly goes to bed.

 

Ilia looks over at Vernal surprised, it’s been awhile since someone said goodnight to her, if she was honest it’s been a long while since she had anything normal within her life considering where she is now, however she appreciates gesture.

 

“Goodnight.” said Ilia. she turns over on her side and, closes her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish I wasn't such a over-thinker, I've had this story over a month but, i'm too busy thinking than doing it.  
> though at least i'm typing. Well I hope you guys like it.  
> Kudos and, comments would be appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> Remember when Vol 5 of Rwby had all those cliffhangers almost every episode and, we had to wait a week for another cliffhanger, yeah those were good times weren't they.
> 
> Anyways I hope you enjoyed this chapter put kudos or comments, I like to hear your guys thoughts both negative and, positive It's still an response.  
> This is going to an interesting journey with you guys.  
> 


End file.
